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NRC FORM 464 Part I U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FOIA RESPONSE NUMBER . (03-2017) :¥\ I 11 I RESPONSE TO FREEDOM OF 2017-0664 1

~ .... ~$ INFORMATION ACT (FOIA) REQUEST ,, .. I/'' RESPONSE [{] INTERIM D FINAL .. .,, ... TYPE

REQUESTER: DATE:

!Ruth Thomas II 09/15/2017 I DESCRIPTION OF REQUESTED RECORDS: ~

Records corresponding to nine (7) enumerated items about HEUNL containers and a 10/14/1970 Atomic Energy

Commission (AEC) report, "Detailed Statement on the Environmental Considerations Related to the Proposed Barnwell

Nuclear Fuel Plant," including pages A39-41 of Section 7.32 of its Appendix A.

PART I. - INFORMATION RELEASED You have the right to seek assistance from the NRC's FOIA Public Liaison. Contact information for the NRC's FOIA Public Liaison is available at b.ttQ._s.;/lwww.nrc.gov/reading-rm/foia/contact-foia.html

[Z] Agency records subject to the request are already available on the Public NRC Website, in Public ADAMS or on microfiche in the NRC Public Document Room.

[Z] Agency records subject to the request are enclosed.

D Records subject to the request that contain information originated by or of interest to another Federal agency have been referred to that agency (see comments section) for a disclosure determination and direct response to you.

[Z] We are continuing to process your request.

[Z] See Comments.

PART I.A - FEES NO FEES AMOUNT" D You will be billed by NRC for the amount listed.

II 11 D Minimum fee threshold not met.

D You will receive a refund for the amount listed.

D Due to our delayed response, you will

•see Comments for details D Fees waived. not be charged fees.

PART l.B - INFORMATION NOT LOCATED OR WITHHELD FROM DISCLOSURE

D We did not locate any agency records responsive to your request. Note: Agencies may treat three discrete categories of law enforcement and national security records as ~ot subject to the FOIA ("exclusions"). 5 U.S.C. 552(c). This is a standard notification given to all requesters; it_ should not be taken to mean that any excluded records do, or do not. exist.

D We have withheld certain information pursuant to the FOIA exemptions described, and for the reasons stated, in Part II.

[Z] Because this is an interim response to your request, you may not appeal at this time. We will notify you of your right to appeal any of the responses we have issued in response to your request when we issue our final determination.

You may appeal this final determination within 90 calendar days of the date of this response by sending a letter or e-mail to the

D FOIA Officer, at U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001, or FOIA.Resource@nrc.gQY., Please be sure to include on your letter or email that it is a "FOIA Appeal." You have the right to seek dispute resolution services from the NRC's Public Liaison, or the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS). Contact information for OGIS is available at htt1:1s://ogi:;i.archives.gov/about-ogis/cQatact-inform9tioa.btm

PART l.C COMMENTS ( Use attached Comments continuation paae if required)

This interim response addresses items 8 and 9 of your request. The 10/14/1970 AEC report, entitled "Detailed Statement on

the Environmental Considerations Related to the Proposed Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant by Allied Gulf Nuclear \

Services" (including pages A39-41 of Appendix A) has been publicly available through the Public Document Room (PDR).

With this FOIA response, the report will now also be publicly available online (so we have provided the complete report

and all appendices, including the three pages you asked for). Records with an ML Accession Number are publicly available

in the NRC's Public Electronic Reading Room at http:www.nrc.gov/reading-nn.html. If you need assistance in obtaining

these records, please contact the NRC's PDR at 301-415-4737, or 1-800-397-4209, or by email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov.

Sh:inature - Freedom of Information Act Officer or Designee

Stephanie A. Blaney """'~.,Md by··-··" ... ..., I ON: c•US,o-U.S.Gaw~ OU"'U.S. NLElelr RegullllOfY Conn.aion,ou•NRC-PIV. cn•Slcpt\allie A. El11M)', 092342.19200300.100 1.1•200C019117 Oate:2017.09.t5C6al0tl4''00'

NRC Form 464 Part I (03-2017) -.·.-·:- :·""'·'""'"I'""" ··~""""""'"""""• ~ .,- ' '·""'" 1 ,,, !'' ''·"'"!!"'•' ·<-u.,e;i L"'!""""""·'·~ - .·,-.;·o:.· '.!.~' -.,i,·:·1~.'''?.~ ,.• :,.·· .,._.,. Page 2 of 2

',

DETAILED STATEMENT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS '·:

BY THE

DIVISION OF MATERIALS LICENSING

U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION

RELATED TO THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION

OF BARNWELL NUCLEAR FUEL PLANT

BY ALLIED-GULF' NUCLEAR SERVICES

/ t _,_-,,1· 'Ir

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1 ssued: October I~, l 970

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r'OREWORD

This detailed statement of environmental considerations related to the

proposed construction and operation of the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant

(BNFP) by Allied-Gulf Nuclear Services, Allied Chemical Nuclear Products,

Inc., and Gulf Energy & Environmental Systems, Inc., (hereinafter

referred to as the applicant) has been prepared by the U.S. Atomic Energy

Commission's regulatory staff pursuant to the requirements of the Nationa)

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 which was enacted on January 1, 1970.

It fallows procedures published by the Atomic Energy Commission in the

Fede·~al Register on June 3, 1970 (35 FR 8594), as proposed, amendments to

its regulations in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix D, and reflects the g·uidance

of the Council on Environmental Quality, as .contained in the Interim Guide-

lines which were published by the Council in the Federal Register on

May 12, 1970 (35 FR 7390).

The detailed statement considers the informati.on contained in the Allied-

Gulf Nuclear Services' document entitled, "Applicant's Environmental Report,"

dated July 7, 1970 (Appendix A), and the comments received from Federal

and State agencies (Appendices B-G). The statement includes the regulatory

staff's evaluation of the radiological consequences of the construction

and operation of the BNFP. Additional information is contained in the

applicant's Preliminary Safety Analysis Report and Safety Analysis Summary

Report, and the AEC regulatory staff's Safety Evaluation.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Subject

INTRODUCTION • e • I • I • 6 • • • • .. e • • • e I • I I I • I

BARNWELL NUCLEAR FUEL PLANT

Site Location ....•

Description of Plant

' REQUIREMENTS OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED ACTION

Radiological I~pact •

General

Radioactive Effluents and Solid Wa~ce

Radiological Consid~ratio~~ . . . . ' . Environmental Monitoring f~r Radioactivity

Water Quality Aspects

Thermal Effects

Chemical Effluent Effects

Comments of Federal and State Agencies

Other Envirorunental Effects .

National & Historical Landmarks

Recreational Facilities

ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED ACTION

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL SHORT-TERM USES OF MAN'S ENVIRONMENT AND THE MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT OF LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY • . . • • . • . , • . • , •

.

IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRETRIEVABLE COMMITMENTS OF RESOURCES '• •

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1

6

7

10

11

11

11

12

15

19

20

20

22

23

29 j.

29

29

30

31

32

33

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Appendixes

APPENDIX A - Applicant's Environmental Report, dated July 7, 1970 • , • , . , ••

APPENDIX B - Comments from Department of Housing & Urban Development, dated August 27, 1970 • , •

APPENDIX C - Comments from Department of Agriculture, dated September 2, 1970 , •• , • • • • , •••

APPENDIX D - Comments from Department of Defense dated September 2, 1970 ••..•.

APPENDIX E - Comments from Department of Health, Education and Welfare, dated September 21, 1970 .•....

APP.ENDIX F - Comments from Department of Interior, dated September 29, 1970 .•••

APPENDIX G - Correspondence from the State of South Carolina, dated September 24, 1970 • • • • , , , •

APPENDIX H - Comments from Apµlicant, dated October 8, 1970

APPENDIX I Chronology - Environmental Action I • • •

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A-1

A-55

A-56

A-57

A-71

A-79

A-94

A-109

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INTRODUCTION

By 3pplicat!o~dated November 6, 1968, five amendments and six addenda

ther.etL) (the application), A11 ied-r.u.lf Nuclear Services, Allied Chemical

:Jucle~r Produ..:ts, Inc.• and Gulf Energy & Environmental Systems, Inc. '

(lw1·eina(ter referred to as the appl icrint) applied for all neceisarv

l ic~•nst!s to constrttct anti opera.te nn irradiated nuclear fueJ recovery pl;;;.nl

.it th~· applic;rnt's site loc;Jted nl>ar Barnwell, South Carnli.na. The applic<

litir1 is ;1vail.1b1e for public inspect.ion ;it the AEC's Public Documen-t Room

1717 ll :-;trc.;;.t, :-l.l.J., Washington, D.C:., and at the Office of the Countv

c:,1mrai,.;si<'l1t!rs, B;1rnwell Countv C:ourthnu.c;e, Main Street, Barnwell, South

C .. .11"olin;1. The application w;is fnrw:ir<led to approprintc state and locnl

,1ffici.-ils.

The applicatinn h;1S hccn cv.11uated by the AEC rcgulatnry staff and the

Commission's independent Advisory Commi.:.tee on Reactor Safeguards, both

of which· t'oncludcd that there is rt:!asonable assurance that the facilitv

could be constructed nnd operated at the propos£~ site withoux undue ~· . ; ~,· . ... risk to the health and snfetv of the public.

The AEC regulatory staff's evaluation of ·the application is set forth

in a document entitled "Safetv Evaluation by the Divisjon of Materials

Licensing," dated September 18, 1970 (i1ereinafter referred to as Safety

Evaluation). The report of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards

' is set forth in a letter to Chairman Seaborg, dated·Julv 17, 1970, and

attached to the Safety Evaluation as Appendix A.

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The Safety Evaluation is available for inspection both at the Commission's

Public Document Room and at the Office of the County Commissioners,

Barnwell County Courthouse, Main Street, Barnwell, South Carolina.

The National En.vironmP.ntal Policy Act of 1969 became law on January 1,

1970 •. Pursuant to existing interagency arrangements. the Atomic Energy I

C~~ission's regulatory staff sent copies of the application shcrtly after

they were receive~ to the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. C6ast and Geodetic

Survey, Environmental Science Services Administration, and U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service. Expert advice and comment.s from these agencies are

c>tt:ached t:o the Safety Evaluat.ion for the.Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Pla~t as

Appendices B, C, and E.

A copy of the application also was sent to the Department: of Health,

Education, and Welfare's Public Health Service, and the Fede:·al Vat:er

Quality Administration.

On .June 3, 1970, the Commission published in the Federal Register proposed

amendments to its regulations, 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix D, setting forth

a proposed revision of it~; Stat(!ment of General Policy implementing the

provisions of the National Environnientai Policy Act of 1969. 1'he proposed

revised Statement of General Policy provides, among other things, that

applicants for constructio~ permits for nuclear fuel reprocessing plants

will be required to submit a report on specified environmental ·considerations,

and that copies of,,such reports would then be transmitted by the Commission

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to appropriate Federal agencies for comment. A summary notice of avail-\

ability of the report will be published in the Federal Re'gister, with a

request for comments on the proposed action and on the xeport from state

and local agencies of any affected state (with respect to matters within

their jurisdiction) which are authorized to develop and enforce environ-

mental standards. After reteipt of the comments of the Federa_l, state

and local agencies, the Commissjon's Director of Regulation or his designee

will prepare a detailed statement on environmental consid~rations. I

The policy statement also rrovjrl1·r. th~t each construction permit would

contain a condition to the effect that:

The applicants shall observ.e such standards and requirements

for the protection of the environment as are validly imposed '\

pursuant to authority established under Federal and state law

and as are determined by the Commission to be applicable to the

facility covered by this construction permit. This condition

does not apply to (a) radiological ~ffects since such effects

are dealt with in other pro,··isions of this const·;1Jction permit u

.)l:' (b) matters Of Welter quality Covered by section 2l(b) Of the I

Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended.

A copy of the "Applicant's Environmental Report" was transmitted to

the Governor of the State of South Carolina on August 3, 1970. A notice

of availability of the document along with a request for comments from

appropriate state and local agencies wan published in the Federal Register

on August 6, 1970 (35 FR 12567). Irt addition, copies of ithe report were

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transmitted, with a req~est for comments within 30 days, to those appli­

cable Federal agencies listed in the Council's memorandum of June 3, 1970;

the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department

of Defense, the Department: of Health, Education, and Welfa_re, the Department

of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of the Interior, and the

Department of Transportation,

Copies of all the comments received are attached as Appendices B through G.

The applicant's response to the comments is attached as App•.mdix H.

'",:.

Within the State of South Carolina, comments were coordinatec by the State's

Water Resources Commission and copies of the Applicant's Environmental

Report wet·e forwarded to 8 agencies Within th~~ E<tate. Questions or . \

requests for clarification on a ntllllber· of items rvere raised by several

state agencies and were forwarded t.o the AEC and, in !.urn, to the applicant.

Subsequently, the app~icant discussed these matters and pr0po5ed a course

of action which was acceptable to the State as indicated in the f ollowin?;

letter from Governor McNair.

A chr .m~logy of the action relating to the AEC' s implementation of

the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is attached as

Appendix I.

~:

Roaf:RT E. Mc NAIR

Mr. Harold L. Price Director of Regulation Atomic Energy Commission

-5-

S 7 A 7 E 0 F" S 0 UT H CAR 0 L I NA

Was h'ingt on, D. C. 20 545

Dear :~r. Price:

October 5, 1970

!{eference is made to the pcndini.;. .:ipplic;:ition bl!fore t!1c J\;:,i;;:i.:: Energy Commission by Allied-Gulf ~udcar Services for a con.strui.:t::ion permit for its Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Pl;int. The procedu"rc for Jc;i; l.!rr.1ing the official .state position in r.mttcrs of ti1is type is to rl!qu~·s:.. L11e

comments of appropriate state agl'.!ncies and d.:::p<irtm~nts. Ti1is oifi . .::~, is then faced with. t,he re::>pp,nsibility oi thi: re.view of those cor::~:~1~ts

.and suggestions and tl1en taking QI) offici.::il position on beh.:ilf uf Li1l!

State. By letter .. of September 24, ;~ forwarded for ybur information the comments of these state agencies and Jep.:1rtmenl:t; •.

AJ.lied-Gulf Nuclear Services, both in their Envinm;:: .. ·nt:;il J\e;)ort . of July 7, 1970, and by perso~al vi~its to this 0Ific2, h.:is nssurcd r.:i?._

tha::. _it will comply with the minimun1 standards rL~quircd by botil st<1Lc:

an(. federal laws. They are ful_y coi:imi tted to us regordin::; e.::ologi cal prote(;tion of all phases of er.vi.ronment with the co.-is truction of this plant.

I realize, from reaaing i:he comment:-; fr0;;1 ti1e nppropriatc st;1t~ agencies, th.:it sevcr.:11 o.sk very pl!rt i;1cnt t"'c:·,nic<Jl qu.::s tions. :·Jc .:..r'" satisfied t;10.

1t in this interim period, pending Allied-Gulf's arplic.:i.tion

for their operating license sever.:il yl!ars hence, research, .cn0 inl.!l.!r.ing, and environmental studies will develop timely ;:mswers to th~t;e questions that will meet the requirements of these state agencies.

The S~ate of South Carolina at ihis time not only has no objection to, b,ut endorsei; the granting of the const,ruction permit for the Barnwell N.uclear Fuel Plant.

With kind regards, I am

RE.'1: CKP

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BARNWELL NUCLEAR FUEL PLANT .

SITE T.OCATION

The BNFP site is in Barnwell County. South Carolina, about seven miles

west of the town of Barnwell. The site is generall'}' level, with a

gently rolling surface that varies in a southernly direction from a ground

elevation of about 280 feet to about 210 feet above sea level. The entire

area is heavily wooded with pine trees and some native hard and softwood

trees. The boundary of the site is an irregularly shaped rectangle approxi-

mately 1.85 miles by 1.65 miles. which contains about 1,730 acres. The

m~in process building complex and the high-level radioactive liquid waste r'

storage vault will be located in the southwest section of th~ site, within

a plant area of about 14 acres. The 1,730-acrc site will pe an exclusion

area, which is contiguous with the exclusjon area of the Siwan·n.ah River

Plant (3RP) site that borders it on the north, west and south boundaries.

The eastern boundary of the site, which adjoins privately owned lands, is

approximately 1.25 miles (2,000 me~ers) from the main process building

complex.

The area surrounding the eastern border of the site is predominantly

rural. Of the total 1,037,000 acres within a 25~mile radius from the

site, there are approximately 202,000 acres of larid used to produce edible

crops and 15,000 acres of dairy farm land. A significant portion of the

land area is used for growing timber. There are no dairy farms within

five miles of the site~ but some small farms have a few· cows.

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Approximately 800 people live within a five-mile radius from the plant

site. Within a 25-mile radius from the site the popu~ation is about

57 ,000, .of which approximately 47 percent live in incorporated areas.

Barnwell, the nearest tovn, is 7.5 mile9 from the plant. It has a popu-

lation of about 4,600. The nearest densely popu_lated center containing

more than 25,000 residents is Augusta, Georgia, which is, about 31 miles I

from the site.

DESCRIPTION OF PLANT

The proposed f_acility is a nuclear fuel reprncessing plant. Its principal

function will be to recover uranium and plutonium from the irradiated

nuclear fuels that have been discharged from light water po~er reactors.

The BNFP will be able to process 1,500 metric tons per year of uranium

plus plutoni~m that was originally contained in the reactor fuel elements.

In terms of reprocessing service to the nuclear industry, it will be able

to reprocess the spent fuels from as many as ~O of the largest nuclear

pcwer' reactors· of the types currently being constructed. The. Bechtel

Corporation will perform the detailed design and ?rocurement, and the

plant will be constructed by the Daniel Construction Company~

The BNFP will process irradiated nuclear power reactor fuel consisting of

uranium oxide, or a mixture of plutonium oxide and ur~nium oxide, clad

in stainless steel or zirconium alloy. An average fuel process batch will

consist of irradiated react.or fuel elehtents that wi-11 have contained up

to 3.5 percent U-235 (prior to irrad1.ation)- or the equivalent for plutonium.

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The aver~ge burnup for a given fuel process batch will be less than

40,00G megawatt day (MWd) per metric ton of uranium 0

(MTU) at 50 MW/MTU.

However, from time to t.ime· a fuel process batch with great~r fissile

content (up to 5 percent U-235 or equivalent Pu) or with.higher fission

product content (higher burnup or power density) may be processed by

appropriate reduction in the plant's throughput rate. To allow for the

decay of short-lived fission products,. at least 90 days and normally 160

d~ys elapse from the time that the fuel is removed from the reactor until

the fuel is received and processing is started at the BNFP.

The process systems ·used in the BNFP for· the recovery of special nuclear

material are an adaptation of the Put~x process, for which the technology

is well defined. A nuclear fuel processing ·plant does not have high

temperature systems, nor high pressure systems, nor the latent energy

associated with the fissile array in a reactor core and, except in the

unlikely event of a nuclear criticality accident', it does not have to cope \ with the highly radioa~tive short-life fission products associated with

fuels being irradiated.

The high-level radioactive waste materials separated from the recovered

special nuclear material will be stored at the site pending future disposal

.in a Federal repository. These high-activity wastes. will be stored as '

acidic solutions 'within. stainless steel tanks that are in underground

vaults. Some low-level radioactivity in the form of noble gases, and vapors

containing tritium, will be released from the process to the environment

under controlled conditions, via a stack to a height of 100 meters.

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The BNFP waste treatment system is designed to avoid the release of

radioactive liquid effluents. Only cooling water from its heat exchangers

is discharged from the.plant to _a. canal, which carries the discharged

water to Lower Three ,R~ns Cre~k. During normal operation, radioactivity

is·riot added to the'coolin$, water effluent. Radiation monitors on cooling

water discharge lines will automatically divert cooling water to a retentio:

basin, or stop the water flow, t9,Prevent the release of contaminated water

from the BNFP. Contaminated water that :tas been diverted to the retention

basin wt'll be decontaminated to acceptable low-levels of radioactivity

before being released from the plant. The fuel cladding (hulls) from

chopped fuel elements, mlsc~llane.ous element hardware, and low-level

contaminated solid wastes from the plant will be packaged and stored in

a burial ground which will be adjaC;ent to the facility, or may be shipped

offsite to. a licensed burial ground.

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REQUIREMENTS OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT

The following sections discuss, within the context of the applicant's

environmental report and the comments made by the various agencies,_ the

following environmental factors specified in section 102(2) (C) of the

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969:

a. the environmental impact of the proposed action,

b. any adverse environmental effects which cannot be avoided should the proposal be. implemen_ted,

c. alternatives to the proposed action,

d. ·the relationship between local short-term uses of man's environment and the maintenance and enhancement of long­term productivity, and

e. any. irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources which would be involved in the proposed action shouid it be implemented.

Additional detail on each of these items is contained in the applicant's

environmental report (Appendix A).

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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED ACTION

RADIOLOGICAL IMPACT

General

The processing operations in the Barnwell plant will he performed within

shielded cells, ·and will be controlled from outside these shielded cells b:

remote operation. A control room and emergency utilities also are pro-

v:i.tled to enable the operating personnel to perform an orderly shut· down

of the plant and to maintain' the process inventories in a safe condition, · ..

even under accident conditions.

The structures and equipment serving as confinement barriers for radio-. '

active materials will be designed to withstand forces resulting from

accidents, earthquakes. tornadoes. hurricanes and floods.

The design objectives for the plant are to assure .. that (a)· the radioactive,

solutions shal~ be retained within vessels, (b) the structures shall

retain their integrity and.confine radioactivity within the process cells,,

and (c) the emergency utility services, critical components, vital controli

and personnel shall be protected to assure that there is no loss of a

safety function pertaining to the confinement of, and control over, radio-

active materials. The safety criteria provide for two or more confinement

barriers to be breached in order for radioactive solutions to be released '·

to the environment.

A relatively isolated site has been selected and access to the facility

will be controlled. Access to the plant area will be through gates,

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which are locked or guarded at all times, After entering( the plant area,

access to the process facility will be through a change room only.

Radiation detection monitors and constant air monitors will be installed

/ I

in normal and limited access areas to perm.it assessment of local conditions.

Air sampling stations will provide a means o.f measuring accumulated air

contamination and for determining the radionuclide(s) present. In the

event of high radiation levels radiation monitors will sound ·alarms in the

control room and in the vicinity of the high radiation.

Radioactive ~ffluents and Solid Waste

The BNFP will release gaseous effluents to the environment via a stack

which exhausts to the atmosphere about 100 meters high. Solid wastes

containing known or detectable amounts of plutonium and other transuranic

isotopes will be' stored in -a burial ground lo~~ted adjacent to the Barnwell

plant):../ - The BNFP normally will not add radioactive liquid effluents to

Lower Three Runs Creek, as indicated on page 10 of this Statement.

Radioactive gaseous effluents from the BNFP process will be chemically

treated and/or filtered prior to being discharged to the atmosphere and

will be continuously monitored to record the quantity of radioactivity

discharged from the plant. The radioactive gaseous effluents will consist

primarily of (a) krypton 85 from the- dissolver off-gas, (b) tritium which

ll Approximately 50 acres of land adjacent to.the process complex will be used for the underground temporary storage of solid radioactive scrap material. For additional information see Section 6. 2 of the Applicant's Environmental Report (Appendix A) and Addendum No. 6, dated June 1970, to the applica~ion.

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will be: z:ele.ased as ·revaporized condensate, {c) iodine 129 and 131 which

will be chemically treated to remove greater than 99 percent from the

off-gas stream, and {d) residual amounts of minute particles having alpha,

beta, .and gamma activity, which might pass, through the filtering system.

A constant air monitoring system, with.recorded and on line readout and

alarms, will be provided for the detect~on of gross beta.activity. The

. -10 lower-limit detection capability will be about 1 :>e 10 uCi/cc for cesium

-6 : . . 137 and 9 x 10 U:Ci/cc for krypton 85 in the stack effluent. A

representative sample of the stack effluent will be. collected continuously.

·rhi!l composite sample will be analyzed, at intervals no greater than 24·

hours during operating periods, for iodlne 129 and 131, ruthenium 106 and

major fission products and transuranic particulates.

Fuel element hulls, and miscellaneous fuel element hardware and radioactive

solid waste will be suitably packaged, or decontaminated, prior to being ·~ ,. ' .,

transported to a low-level waste burial ground for storage. The solid

waste will be buried, at depths above the water table, in a manner that

will minimize the percolation of rain water through the soil in the vicinity

of the buried waste. Under these conditions there would be negligible, if·

any, migration of radioactivity to the ground water.

Baskets of hulls and other dissolver scrap will be routinely monitored

until conditions are established in fuel chopping and dissolver operations

;·.· that ensure dissolution of special nuclear material. After dissolution of

!;'.

special nuclear material, the leached hulls will be dumped into cylindrical

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reinforced concrete containers. which will be capable of holding the hulls

·from about six metric·tons of uranium. Filters 'and other solid wastes

that'might contain plutonitim will· be packaged with or in a manner similar

to that for hulls. The storage canisters wil1 be sealed and then will be

transferred on a shielded trailer to the burial ground.

The dissolution 1 acid-leach and water wash cycles in the dissolver will

remove practicaliy all of the special nuclear rnat.erial from the hulls.

Experience has demonstrated that after exposure to the disE>"olution, acid-

leach and water ~ash cycle'.s, the transuranic residue, if any, would be

virtually insoluble in water. Further, p'ackaging of solid waste in.

concrete storage containers and the'construction of the burial ditches

will mitigate leaching by w·ater· and the migration of radionuclides in

the ground. The packaging ~ethod also will allow for removal of such

buried so+id-waste if in the future i.t might be desirable to do so.

Depending upon the nuclear fuel reprocessing load and the types of fuel

processed, the BNFP will generate the types and approximate amounts of

low-level rariioactive solid wastes shown below in Table I.

Type of Waste

Dissolver (Chopped hulls)

TABLE I

Fuel element end fittings and/or deconraminated equipment

Coveralls, rubbers, paper, labora~ tory waste and small tools.

Annual Amount (Cu. ft./yr.)

15,000 to 30,000

6,000 to 10,000

8,000 to 43,000

~·

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15 -

The applicants may store the low-level radioactive solid wastes on its

site or transfer these wastes to. a licensed buriai ground or Federal

repository, in accordance with applicable Federal and state laws. Solid

wastes with known or d.etectable transuranic nuclides will be segregated

from other types of solid waste, and will be packaged in a manner that

will retain the waste. in contamination-free packages which will be buried

in identified locations. The above is to assure that, if necessary, such

wastes may be retrieved from the burial ground.

The regulatory staff has evaluated the proposed design criteria and the

design bases for the packaging' and disposal of the low-level radioactive

solid wastes and has concluded that the applicant's propose.a methods· are

acceptable. The regulatory staff has also evaluated .the ion exchange

capability of the soils and has concluded that although the ion exchange

capability is low it is adequate to mitigate the migration of radionuclides

such as strontium and plutoniwn~ -if those nuclides should be leached by

contact with ground water.

Radiological Considerations

.Gaseous effluents from the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant will be released to

the atmosphere about 100 me~ers high through a stack which serves to reduce

the radiological exposures at on site locations. Meteorological data have

been used to calculate average concentrations of radioactive material as a

function of distance from the stack.

., ,.

- 16

Krypton 85 and tr~tium (H-3) in the irradiated fuel are released quantita-

tively. Ventilation treatment systems remove other radionuclides to the

extent practicable. . \~

The estimated maximum annual releases and radiological exposures of the

_____ _....n"'e""'a,,_r_...b¥:--populat-i-0n_:,_abau.t----'-l-SO-peep-le-,-a·r-e---shm.-ua-r-ize-d-in-T-ab-le--I--I-.-F.,.,o~o..-.t..,.,.,,.10"'"'ti--e~s...--------

to the table indicate the methods used to estimate the doses~

The genetically significant dose to the exposed people is abo~~ 1 mrem

per year, obtained by summing .. the whole }lody contribution from Kr-85, H-3

and Cs-137.

The average bone dose· is about 4 mrem per year obtained by summing the

contriqution from Kr-85, H-3, Sr-90 and Pu.

The skin dose includes the' contribution from the beta.radiation from

Kr-85 and half the whole body doses from H-3,and Cs-137. The total

is about 9 mrem for exposed portions of the skin. Shield in~.' of the

Kr-85 beta radiation by clothing.will substantially reduce· the exposures

to other parts of the body.

While the exposures indicated above are low, they are based on release

estimates which are cqnservatively high. It is expected that actual

exposures will be less than those indicated.

All of the radiation exposures shown in·Table II are at levels which are

small fractions of applicable limits recommended by the National Committee

'.

-·17 -

on Radiation Protection, the Federal Radiation Council and the limits

specified in the Atomic Energy Commission's regulations (Title 10 Code

of Federal Regulations Part 20). No detectable biological effects to

humans are expected to occur as the result of any of these estimated

. exposures. ., ..... ,~·\, ::· .

I '

I I ,

I

TABLE II

Radionuclide Exposure Mode Rem per Ci sec Annual Release Annual .Dose

Kr-85 External irradiation of.whole body

External irradiation of skin

H-3 Internal irradiation of whole body

1-131 Irradiation of child's thyroid through grass-cow-milk cycle

Sr-90 j Irradiation of bone from isotopes deposited · on food

I

per cubic meter (Ci)

3 -4 .5 x 10 1.5 x 107

3 x 10-2

5 x 10-2 6 x 105

3. 3 :r.: 105 21

1.05 x 104 . 10

~

(mrem) •

)

0.1

9.

0.6

140.

2.1

:

:

:

:

:

:

:

.... OD.

I

Cs-137 Irradiation of whole l x 103 10 0.2

Pu

Footnotes;

Kr-.85

H-3

I-131

Sr-90 & Cs-137

Pu

body from isotopes deposited on food

Irradiation of bone 8 x 106 .1 1.6

from inhaled Pu dusts

Calculation assumes semi-infinite cloud, a factor of two is used in the whole.body case to allow for occupancy time and the shielding provided 2by a house. The skin dose calculation applies for the radiation transmitted through a 0.7 mg/cm outer layer of skin.

Calculated using ICRP biological parameters· with a quality factor of unity.

Calculation assumes concentration through the grass-c.ow-milk food chain.

:

Calculation is based on fallout contaminated food and assumes equilibrium (after several half lives) with 2/3 of the food being uncontaminated,

This is the average dose over a 50 year period.

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• ,'f

Environmental Monitoring For Radioactivity

The D~Pont Environmental Monitoring Group, Radiological Sciences Division

of the Savannah River Laboratory• has mainta:Lned· a continuous monitoring ... : I

program of a 1200 square-mile area outside the AEC's Savannah River Plant <'

since 1951, which ·includes the· BNFP site and Lower Three Runs Creek. To

obtain an independent evaluation of the effec't of the BNFP on the area,

an environmental monito.ring program will be initiated by Allied-Gulf

Nuclear· Services,_(_ Inc., prior to the operation of the plant. Environmental

monitoring will be performed both by the BNfP staff and by qualified

contractor!;. The monitoring program will encompass an 1800 square mile

area and will include measured concentrations of radionuclides in air, /

water (surface and subsurface), milk, vegetation, soil and stream sediments,

and radioecology .studies of representative plants and animals. This

program will be coordinated· with the AEC 's Savannah River site environ-

mental, monitor.ing program, the States of Georgia and South Carolina, and

appropriate focal health agenc-ies.

The proposed environmental monitor:lng program has incorporated ·in it

the recommendations by the U. S ,· Geological Survey and the U. S. Fish

and Wildlife Service.

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WATER QUALITY ASPECTS

The construct~on perm.it proposed for issuance for this facility provides

as follows:

''.The applicants shall observe such standards and requirements for the

protection of the environment as are validly imposed.pursuant to

~uthcrity established under F~deral and State law and as are determined

by the Commission to be applicable to the facility covered·by this con-

struction permit. This condition does not apply to· (a) radiological

effects since such effe~ts are d~alt with in other provisions of this

construction permit, or (b) matters of· water quality covered by

Section 2l(b) or" the Federal- Water Pollution Control Act, as amended."

Section 2l(b) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended bv

the recently enacted Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970, requires appli­

" cants for Federal licenses or permits to conduct any activity,1 in•luding

the construction of a facility such as a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant,

which may result in any discharge into the navigable waters of the United

States, to provide the Federal licensing agency with certification from

the state, or interstate water pollution control agency, or. the Secretarv

of Che Interior, as appropriate, that there is reasonablt assu;ance as

determined by such certifying authority, th~t the activity will be conducted \

in a manner which will not ~iolate applicable water quality standards.

In this connection,! it should be noted that the Governor of South Carolina

in his letter to the Director of Regulation dated October S,,1970, (see

/

- 21 -

p. 5 of this Statement) stated that the applicant is committed to meeting

the Stat.e requirements for the ecological protection of all phases of the

enviroriment in connection with the construction and operation of the faci

The BNFP will require a continuous source of cooling water to remove fiss

product decay heat from its inventory of stored high-activity waste. The

maximum he·at removal requirement is estimated to be approximately 175 mil

BTU per hour, based on the BNFP having in storage high-activit¥ wastes th

were accumulated from a prioi" five-year operation at the plant's design

capacity. The temperature of the cooling water effluent discharged to

Lower Three Runs Creek wi 11 be below 93°1'.. The discl.arge temperature wii

depend upon the heat load and the natural cooling effects .during the yea.r

from the 15 million gallon wat_er cooling pond, There.are known and avail·

able engineering means for complying with state standards that govern the

discharge temperature of the cooling water.

The BNFP will discharge its cooling water to Lower Three Runs Creek at th£

base of the Par Pond darn. The flow of water in the Lower Three Runs Cree~,

' as measured about five miles do'.mstream of Par Pond at Patterson's Mill

llridge, varied from S cubic feet per second (cfs) to 500 cfs from Julv 19~. -

to August 1968. The average flow for this period was approximately 170 cf ,:

•/',I

During the S cfs (low period, the flow of water over the Par Pond spillw~~

was nil and recent rainfall had been negligible, Beyond Patterson's Mill

Bridge, the Lower Three Runs Creek flows. in a southerly direction for an

additional 14 miles, picking up additional flow from many tributaries

),,

- 22 -

before discharging into the Savannah River about 140 miles ab.ave the outlet

into the Atlantic Ocean.

Since late 1968, the flow of water over the Par Pond spillway has been nil,

and the flow rate of Lower Three Runs Creek is now in the range of 5 to 100

cfs. The maximum amount of cooling water discharged from the BNFP will

increase the flow of Lower Three Runs Creek by about 30 cubic feet per second

(cfs). Compared to its average flow rate of 170 cfs for the prior ten year

period, this increase in flow rate is well within the prior flow rate of

Lower Three Runs Creek.

Normally no radioactive nuclides will be added to the cooling water dis-

charged from the plant, as indicated on page 10 of this Statement. However,

small quantities of chemicals used in boiler treatment will be added, but

in concentrations well below state limits (see Ta'ble III).

Chemical Added (salts)

Polyacrylate

Sodium sulfite

Sodium sulfate

Trisodium phosphate

Calcium & magnesium phosphates

Total alkalinity

Total solids

TABLE III

Ainount (lb/day)

6

1

.5

4

2

60 1/

78 ±./

Concentration (parts per million) ·

0.040 - 0.06

0.007 - 0.01

0.033 - o.os

0.027 - 0.04

0.013 0.02

0.40 - 0.60

!/ Calcium and magnesium carbonates, including 6 lb/day sodium hydroxide.

J:./ This total includes minerals originally present in the well water.

.;.. 23 -

COMMENTS OF FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES

The following discussion deals with comments, and the disposition thereofl,,

which were received from Federal and state agencies:.

Department of Housing and Urba.n Development ' ,·>·

HUD suggested consideratipn of (a) future population trends, (b) coordina-:-

tion with state and regional planning agenc;t.es, (c) mainiaining a low-densi1 . ~· . . ' .

exclusion, zone, and (d) future waste storage requi~ements of the BNFP.

By letter dated October 8,_1970, in response to the questions in our

letter of September 25 1 1970, the app~icant has identified the various

I state and .regional agencies that were contac_ted relevant to the. proposed

construction of the BNFP. The information in the applicant's safety analysj

report (Se.ction ~X) re+,evant to the utilization and population of the sur-

rounding land area and the estimate of the future population trends in

"' those counties adjacent to the plant site is based upon data from the ~-·

State Boards of South Carolina and Georgia. This and other information

was evaluated by the regulatory staff in connection with the staff's

evaluation of the suitability of the site'.

In this regard, the. regulatory staff also has evaluated the BNFP's require~

ments, at its design capabilities, for short term confinement and long

term disposai of radioactive wastes. The staff has concluded that such

requirements have been adequately considered andthat the proposed methods·

for storage and disposal of wastes are acceptable.

:..,,

- 24 - .

Department of Agriculture

The Department of Agriculture suggested that additional information should

be provided in the environmental report about the disposal of low-level

radioactive solid wastes.

Information ab.out the disposal of low.:.J.evel radfoactive solid wastes is

discussed iri the applicant's safety analysis repo'ri:. in the regulatory

staff's Safety Evaluation, and iri the sec'tion of this report entitled,

"Radioactive Effluents and Solid Waste."

Department of.Defense

·The Dep·artment of Defense suggested that the Environmental Statement should . .,

consider (a) the radiological impact of both the AEC's Savannah River Plant

and the BNFP, (b) providing detailed information regarding the environmc!ntal

' '

moni~oring program, and (c) cooling water·. discharges t'o Lower Three Runs

Creek.

The regulatory staff has evaluated the radioacti.v~ effluents trom the AEC's

Savannah Riv~r Plant (SRP) relevant to the combined effect with the BNFP

in the Barnwell area. In the Barnwell area the effluents from the SRP

are at or below minimum detection levels and, for the most part, are too '1

small to be; distinguished from natural (background radiation. Accordingly,

the staff has evaluated the BNFP as an independent facility.

The applicant has defined the scope and intent of .hi~ radiological monitor­

ing program. The regulatory staff has found the scope and intent of the

·~.

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applicant's radiological monitoring program acceptable. However, in addition~

Federal and state agencies have suggested that the applica_pt 's_ ~~'!'ironmental ,

monitoring program encompass the overall impact of the BNFP on the environ-

ment, and have suggested that such a program be coordinated by the State of

South Carolina. There is adequate time prior to completion of construction

and operation of the BNFP to develop plans, regarding the detailed types

'of samples, their frequency and location, that will be taken to implement

the proposed radiological monitoring program. The State of South Carolina

has indicated that it is satisfied that during this 1interim period the appli-

cant will develop res'earch, engineering, and environment.al studies that will

meet the requirements of the various state agencies. (See Governor McNair's

letter of October 5, 1970.)

The water quality aspects were discussed previously in this report.

Department of Health, Education, and Welfare

The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare suggested that other

sources of envirorunental radioactivity, including the AEC Savannah River

Plant, the Oconee Nuclear Station, and the BNFP, -be considered relevant

to the combined environmental effect on the area of this plant, and that

~ppropriate consideration be given to emergency planning. These comments

and reconµnendations were brought to· the attention of the applicant and he

has assured the regulatory Staff that they Wiil be carefully considered With

respect to developing and implementing detailed plans pertaining to the

BNFP's radiological environmental monitoring program. The BNFP normally

- 26 -

does.not add radioactivity to the cooling water effluents that will be

routinely discharged to Lower Three Runs Creek. The low-level radioactive

liquid wastes are concentrated and combined with the high-activity wastes

which are stored pending future solidification and disposal in a Federal

repository. The decontaminated overhead vapors from the waste concentrator,

however, will be discharged to the atmosphere via a high stack. Technical

specifications governing the amount of radioactivity that may be released

from the waste concentrator to the atmosphere will be included as a part

of the operating license to assure that such ieleases will be maintained

as low as practicable. With respect to emergency planning, the regulatory

staff has reviewed the Scope and the intent of the applicant's emergency

planning and has found them to be acceptable. All agreements need not be

reached prior to the construction permit hearing, as there is adequate

time, prior to the completion of the plant for developing detailed plans

and reaching detailed agreements. with participating Federal, state, local

and private agencies. It is the understanding of the regulatory staff that

agreements of the intent of local parties having responsibilities regarding

emergency· plans have been expressed to the applicant ..

Department of the Interior

The report from the Department of the Interior proposed (a) assessment of

thermal considerations, (b) additional ecological studies, (c) a long range

overall environmental monitoring program coordinated with the concerned

state and Federal fish and wildlife agencies, (d) definition of the corrective

, .. ' I

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~.

;'-o··

£:

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actions to be taken if unanticipated adverse environmental effects are

disclosed by the enviro~mental monitoring program, arid (e) disposal into

deep aquifers of tritiated water and other low-level radioactive effluents. .

The report also contains a summary of the recommendations of the U.S.

Geological Survey'~ Office of Radiohydrology that are referred to in the

t~ansmittal letter.

Copies of the application were sent on December 4, 1968, to the U.S. F°ish

and Wildlife Service arid to the U.S .• Geological Survey, with a request

for review and comments from these agencies~ The comments received from

the U.S.· Fish and Wildlife Service on June 27, 1969, and from the U.S.

Geological Survey on June 22, 1970, are attached as appendices to ::he

regulatory staff's S'afety Evaluation. The applicant will comply with

the recommendations contained in those reports. The hydrology studies

will beg~n at the start of construction, in early 1971, and will continue

throughout the life of the BNFP.

The comments and recommendations (Appendix F) regarding environmental

studies and monitoring programs were forwarded to the applicant. It is

the regulatory staff's understanding, b_ased upon discussion with the

applicant, that the applicant will give consideration to suggested environ-

mental impact studies. However, 1the applicant has indicated that they

will develop an overall environmental study and moni~oring program in

accordance with the requirements of the State of South Carolina, and to

cqmply with minimum standards required by both state_ and Federal laws.

."I

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Furthermore, the applicant has stated that if any.adverse effects attributable

to the operation of the plant were to become evident through the enviro~mental

monitoring programs during plant operation, appropriate steps would be taken I

by the applicant to correct the situation.

The regulatory staff has considered the disposal of certain low-level radio-

active effluents into deep aquifers as a mearis for reducing the radioactivity

released to the biosphere. Further consideration of this disposal method has

been deferred until criteria· are developed, and accepted, relevant to defining

suitable deep aquifers. for cer_tain types of waste and for defining a basis \

to evaluate and approve deep well injection and related monitoring systems.

State of South Carolina

Comments by State agencies regarding the BNFP reflected concern about

hydrology, air effluents, water effluents and the development of an environ-

mental monitoring program which will be acceptable to the interested agencies.

The applicant has stated that he will comply with the minimum standards

required by both state and Federal' laws, that research, engineering, and

environmei:ital studies will develop timely answers to state agency questions

and the environmental studies and monitoring, program will meet the require-

ments of these state agencies.

- 29 -

OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS I

National and Historical Landmarks

The site for the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant has been considered in

"

acco.rdance with the requirements of the National Historical Preservati()n

Act. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation of the Department of

the interior stated in their letter of March 12, 1969, that " ... this

project [construction of the Barnwell plant) would not affect properties ·.:

list'ed on the National Register ..• 11

I' ..

Recreational Facilities ' .~ "

For th'e past 19 years the Barnwell plant site has been a part of the

Savannah River Plant complex and has been owned and controlled by the

" Federal Government. Public access to the area was restricted. There were

nci public r~c~eational ·facili~ies on the l~nd now transferred to Allied-

Gulf Nuclear Services. The nearest public recreational facilities are ·,

located in the Town of Barnwell approximately seven-and-one-half miles

from the plant site. The Boiling Springs picnic area is eight miles from

the plant.

.: •··. -~-r

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...;. 30 -

ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

As discussed in the previous section on environmental impact, all of the

radiation exposures considered in the section enti.t)ed "Ra,diol~gical

Considerations" are at levels which are small fractions of applicable limits

recommended by the National Committee on Radiation Protection, the Federal

Radiation Council and the limits ,specif~ed in the Atomic Energy Commission's

regulations (Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations Part 20). No detectable

biological effects to humans are expected to occur as the r~sult of any of

these estimated exposures.

The applicant has indicated that they will comply with all Federal and

state regulations applicable, to the protection of the environment. Further-

more, the applicant'has stated that if any adverse effects attributable to

the operation of the plant were to become evident through the environmental

monitoring programs during plant operation, appropriate steps would be taken

by the applicant to correct the situation.

.. '.,"

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- 31

ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED ACTION

The expanding nuclear power industry will require (1) disposing of spent

reactor fuei' in suitable repositories, or (2) providing reprocessing

facilities to recover nuclear matE.cial disch.arged from nuclear reactors,

The secondary effect of the first.alternative would be to increase the

cost of power using nuclear reactors. This could limit the use of nuclear:,

power reactors to meet the growing national. energy needs and would result

in a mor~ .rapid depletion of our fo.ssil fuel resources. '.l'o· the extent thaf:

nuclear power would continu~ to be used the burial of unprocessed spent

reactor fuel would represent a. lo~s of nuclear material.

It is apparent that the need for reprocessing of nuclear fuel.will continue

'to increase in order to keep pace with the expanding nuclear power industry ,,-,

This need may be satisfied ·in three different ways: (1) expanding the ;

capability of the presently licensed reprocessing facilities; (2) construct·

ing the Barnwell plant; and, (3) constructing a similar plant but at some

other site.

Any reasonable increase in the production rate of the existing facilities

'is not expected to be capable of processing the volume of fuel anticipated ..

at the time that -the Barnwell plant is ready for operation. Construction o:

a similar p:i.ant at. a different site, would be possible; however, as .reporte1

by the applicant the Barnwell location is centrally located to service the'.

maximum number of power reactors with minimum transportation requirements.·"

;,_.

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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL SHORT-TERM USES OF MAN'S ENVIRONMENT

AND THE MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT OF LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY

The local short-term effects on the environment are those associated with

the construction of any large industrial facility, and during facility

operation. The discharge of cooling water will be kept within the applicable

water quality standards, and the plant's gaseous radioactive effluents are

calculated to be only a few percent of the1! 10 CFR Part 20 limits. In· addi-

tion, the applicant has proposed an environmental monitoring program which

will be used to provide a basis for detectin~ ~nd evaluating any radiological

~mpact which might lead to long-term effects in order that timely. corrective

action can be taken if required .

1 :) '

"

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IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRETRIEVABLE COMMITMENTS OF RESOURCES

Curtailment of the-beneficial uses of the natural resources of the area

as a result of the construction and operation of the BNFP should be no

more severe than that incident to many heavy industrial facilities, and

the recreational and ·other beneficial uses of the surrounding area should

not be impaired.

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!

APPENDIX A A-1

ALLIED-GULF NUCLEAR SERVICES c/o -Allied Chemical Nuclear Products, Inc.

P. 0. Box 35 Florham.Park, New Jersey 07932

Mr. Lyall Johnson, Acting Director Division of Materials Licensing u. S. Atomic Energy Commission Washington, D. C. 20545

Dear Mr. Johnson:

July 7, 1970

Docket No. 50-332

In response to your letter of May 20, 1970 related to the environmental impac~ of the Barnwell N~clear Fuel Plant, submitted herewith is a document entitled "Applicant's Environ­mental Report".

Such Applicant's Environmental Report sununarizes pertinent portions of ~he Safety Analysis Report. The Environ­mental Report includes statements related to the possible effects on the environment and on the ecology of the area and suminarizes· planned programs for studies of the local hydrology and of the · environment.

If there are any questions concerning any part of the RGfJOrt, or if there is any additional information we can supply, please advise the undersigned.

Sincerely yours,

'' ··.

~/·~~<ea,~ R. I. Ne~a~ .

STATE OF NEW JERSEY COUNTY _OF MORRIS

Sworn to before me this

7th day of July, 1?70~

t L ,/ , . , /' t /[c'.' .'• I'--' 1 1

(1 1 ''tt'-f NOTARY PUBLic,/jfofARY PUBLIC or- tlEW JE!?SEY

MJ C*mi,;;;;in E.x?;:~i Jzn. 2, Jt7f Attachment · cc: Mr. T. E. Richardson

Project Director

Board of Commissioners of Barnw(ll County P. 0. Box 443

·Barnwell, South Carolina 29812

c . ~.

·-· :_·,,_.

A-2

ALLIED-GULF NUCLEAR SERVICES

BARNWELL NUCLEAR FUEL PLANT

APPLICANT'S ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT

;.:

Docket No. 50-332

~-.. ' ~ti . . - . • ' . • ·;;q

-i- A-3

BARNWELL NUCLEAR FUEL PLANT

APPLICANT'S ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT

Table of Contents

Subject

Introduction

1; Plant Description

1.1 Purpose

1.2 Site Location

1.3 Construction

1.4 Population and Land Use.

1.4.1 Historical Considerations __./

1.4.2 Recreational Consideratiorts

1. 5 Meteoro.logy

1.5.1 Precipitation and Wind

1.5.2 Atmospheric Diffusion

1.6 Geology

1.6.1 Surface Features

116.2 Subsurface Features

1.7 Seismology

1.7.1 Design Bases

1.8 Ground Water

1.8.l Use of Ground Water

l.B.2 Direction of Ground Water Flow

l.B.3 Water Quality

Page No.

1

3

3

4

4

5

6

6

9

9

10

11

12

12

13

14

15 "

16

16

17

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.Table of Contents (Cont'd)

Subject

2. Environmental Effects

2.1 Air Effluents

2.2 Liquid Effluent~

2.3 Onsite Construction

2. 4 Water Usage

2.5 Effects of BNFP .Effluent Releases

3. Nature of the Environmental Effects

4. Alternatives to the Proposed Ac.tion

5. The Relationship between Local Short-Term Uses of Man's . .

Environment and the Maintenance and Enhancement of

Long-Term Productivity

6. Extent to which any Commitments of Resources might

be Irreversible

6.1 Structures

6.2 Burial Ground

6.3 Other Commitments

7. Additional Information

7.1 Environmental Studies Planned

7.1.1 Program Objectives

7.1.2 Concentrations of Radionuclides and

Exposure Levels

7.1.3 Radiation Ecology

7. l. 4 Hydrology

7. 1. ~ Program Direction

Page No.

19

20

21

22

22

23

24

25

26

27

27

27

27

28

28

28

29

29

30

30

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-iii- A-5

Table of Contents (Cont'd)

Subject

7.2 Recreation \

7.3 Pollution Control Measures

7.3.l Airborne Effluents

7.3.2 Liquid Waste Management

7.3.3 Cooling 1r'!ater Backup and Release

7.3.4 Solid Waste Disposai

7.3.5 Direct Radiation Control

7.3.6 Other Pollution Abatement Systems

7.4 Licenses and Permits Required

Figures

1 BNFP Site Location Map

2 BNFP-SRP Relationship Map

3 Aerial Photograph - BNFP Site

4 Artists Rendition - BNFP

5 Cut-away Isometric Drawing - BNFP

6 Annual Average X/Q

7 Ventilation System - Block Flow Diagram

8 Off-Gas Systems - Block Flow Diagram

Page No.

31

32

32

34

36

36

37

37

38

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- 1 - A-6

INTRODUCTION

On November 6, 1968, Allied Chemical Nuclear Products, Inc.

submitted to the AEC its Application for a Consti;-uction PeJ7lTI.it and

Operating License for a nuclear fuel recovery facility to be known

as the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant (BNFP). Since that time, five

amendments and six addenda have been submitted in support of such

Application.

By Amendment No. 4, dated March 16, 1970,' said Appli'cation was

amended to show Allied-Gulf Nuclear Services, a partnership, as

Applicant in lieu of Allied Chemical Nuclear Products,- Inc. The

partnership consists of Allied Chemical Nuclear Products, Inc., a

wholly-owned subsidiary of Allied Chemical Corporation, and Gulf

General Atomic Incor,porated, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gulf Oil

Corporation.

The BNFP design, construction and operation are being directed

by Allied Chemical Nuclear Products, Inc. as a general partner of

Allied-Gulf Nuclear Services.

I Bechtel Corporation will perform the detailed architectural and

engineering design, and will sub-contract construction work to Daniel

Construction Company, Inc. Recognized experts in meteorology,

hydrology, geology, seismology, radioecology, and waste disposal

have provided and will continue to provide their special competence

and assistance to Applicant.

'· -~

- 2 - A-1

Construction of the BNFP is scheduled to be started early in

1971 and to be completed in 1973. Commercial plant operations are

now estimated to begin in early 1974 after trial runs with non­

irradiated materials to demonstrate proper functioning of equipment

and control systems and to train operating personnel.

The purpose of this Report is to describe the effects that the

construction and operation of the BNFP may have on the environment.

Essential features of plant design and operation and of the environment

in the vicinity of the plant site are described.

All matters relating to the environmental aspects of the BNPP

ha~e been thoroughly con~idered. As a res~lt, Applicant is confident

that, as hereinafter set forth in detail, operation of the BNFP will

present no significant environmental problems.

l. Plant Description

1 • 1 Pu·rpo·se

- 3 - A-8

The primary purpose of the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant (BNFP)

is to recover both uranium and plutonium from irradiated fuels

following discharge from light-water moderated and cooled

nuclear power r~actors. The plant will have an annual

capacity of 1500 metric tons of uranium with a uranium

dissolution capacity of 6 tons and a daily separation capacity

of 5 tons. CapaQility wi.l,l be provided _to handle fuel which

prior to irradiation had a fissile content of up to 5% U-235-

or the equivalent for_ plutonium recycle fuels.

The process s.ystems will include that equipment necessary

to perform (i) all of the functions· involved in the recovery

of specification products from incoming J.r'radiated fuel

elements and (ii) the.separation and safe handling of waste

materials. The process systems divide into five categories:

Fuel Receiving and Storage, which w.ill involve the

receiving and unloading of the irradiated fuel

elements from' shipping casks and the movement of fuel

to storage and from storage to the process.

Mechanical Processing, which will be the physical

breakage of fuel elements into small pieces to expose

the' contents for subsequent dissolution and chemical

processing. Solid wastes will be prepared for storage.

Chemical Processing, which will be of the conventional

"purex" solvent extraction type. This process will

-separate and recover the desired products and concen-

·"' -~ ·-------------------~

- 4 - A-9

tra te the liquid waste prciducts ~ ·., -·

Product Handling and Shipment, which will convert the

uranium and plu t6nium ·products into highly refined

forms and package plutonium for return t:o the

customer.

·" Waste Storage, which will:' pfbvide for the safe

storage of all liquid and' s~lid wa'stes.

l. 2 Site Location

The BNFP will be located' seven and one-half miles west of

the Town of Barnwell, Sou'th Carolina on a tract of iand of

approximately 1700 acres. The site' is contiguous with the

easte.rn boundary of the AEC.' s Savannah ltj,ver Plant of which

it wa;S formerly a part. The land is generally level, with a

gently rolling surface, and is heavily wooded with pine trees

and so,ne native hardwood and softwood· trees. The BNFP site l . . . ' . ·'.

will comp;ise part ·of an In<:}ustrial Park planned by Barnwell.

County.

The site location in relation to South Caroline and Georgia

is shown iri Figure 1. The relationship to the Savannah

River Pl~~t is depicted in.Figure 2. Figure 3, an aerial

phot,ograph, illustra:tes the site boundaries and general

terrai.n features.

1.3 Construction

A berm (compacted earth fill) fifteen feet above the existing

surface elevation will be installed prior to construction of

the process building. The pro?ess building will be constructed

of heavy reinforced concrete for enclosure of the critical

* •a ___ ,,.

.··1

- 5 - A-10

process areas, and will be furnished wlth insulated metal

siding or concrete for enclosure of the non-critical

operating areas and process support areas. The building

will be located in a primary exclusion area of approxi­

rna tely 14 acres which will be surrounded by chain-link

' fence topped with barbed wire. Gates will be provided for

c6ntrol of iail and vehicular traffic. Personnel entrance

to the area will be controlled through an administration

building. Parking facilities for employees and visitors

will be located outside of the exclusion area, adjacent to

the adrninistr~tion building. - A-stack discharging air-borne

effluents 100 meter's above grade will be an integral part

of the process complex. The fenced area is depicted in

Figure 4 and a cutaway drawing of the process complex in

Figure 5. A roadway and a rail spur will be constructed

from existing rights-of-way to the process building.

l.4 Population and Land Use

The AEC Savannah River Plant, adjacent to the proposed BNFP,

is engaged in various nuclear activities, including productio

of special nuclear materials and transuranic elements,

chemical separations and processing as 'well as research and

development work. Other areas surrounding the site are

predominantly rural. Agricultural activities are declining.

There is an up-trend toward an industrial economy. Census

counts of Barnwell County have decreased in the past two

decades.

Within a 25-mile radius, comprising 1,260,000 acres, there

J<

. - 6 - A-11

are approximately ::?02,000 acres of land used to produce

~ edible crops and 15,500 acres of dairy faJ;'llls, none of the

latter being within five miles of the site. A significant

portion of the land area is used for growing timber. Some

220,000 acres are federally owned and form the Savannah

River Plant of the AEC. Approximately 47 percent of the

population lives in incorporated areas.' Table I shows the

population, crop and dairy animal distribution by five~mile . /

radial zones from the plant site. Table II shows the popu­

lation of and distance to.towns with populations of over 1000.

There are no cities within .~ 25-rnile radius. with a population in excess of s,ooo. The n'earest ci.ties of any size Aiken are

(population 16,043) which is 27 miles distant and Augusta

(population 70,600) which is 31 miles distant.

l.4.1 Historical Considerations

There.are no areas or sites_ of h,istorical significance

within a fiv'e-rnile radius of the BNFP. A small family

burial plot is located at theeaastern part of the

1700-acre site. The burial area will not be disturbed

by either construction activities or plant operations.

1.4.2 Recreational Considerations,

Recreational·facilities nearest to the BNFP are

located in the Town of Barnwell~ 7.5 miles away.

Approximately 8 miles south of the BNFP site, there is

a 5-acre site known as Boiling Springs which contains·

a stand of large pine trees aIJ,d is maintained as a

picnic area.

· .. ·-·

~ • ..,....,,~".'~· '" 1' " ' ' - - • "

TABLE I

POPULATION AND LAND USAGE BY RADIAL DISTANCE __/

Total Land in Approx. Land in m~FP Distance Land Area· Dairy Farms Number of Edible Crops & SRP (Miles) (Acres) Population (Acres) Dairy Cows (Acres) (Acres)

< 0-5 50,400 800 25* 5,500 23,700 z H

5-10 151,600 6,300 200 lB,000 ..:I 100 63,700 0 p:.;, ~ 10-15 246,300 14,400 1,100 200 .30,600 93,500 u tr.: 15-20 286,000 17,700 3,600 ' 1, 200 50,300 34,500 8 .. ::::> 0 20-25 340,100 13,900 9,800 , 2, BOO 66,600 7,300 Ul

TOTAL 1,074,400 53,100 14,700 4,300 171,000 222,700

-:i: 10-15 5,700 200 .._J H (!l ~ 15-20 65,000 600 500 265 9,100 0 rz:i

)> l!> I 20-25 114,900 2,900 250 205 21,300 ..... I\)

TOTAL 185,600 J,500 750 470 30,600 ---GRAND TOTAL ll260,000 56,600 15 ,.450 4, 770 201,600 222,700

*Family Cows Sources of Data:

State Development Boards of South Carolina and Georgia, 1967. Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide, Rand McNally, 1964. Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan, Barnwell County, South Carolina Development Board, 1967.

.. . ,

8 - A-13

TABLE II

POPULATION ANO DISTANCE TO TOWNS [ WITH POPULATION OVER 1;·000]

FROM PLANT SITE

Distance Town Population (Miles) -

Aiken 16,043 27

Jackson 1,746 19

New Ellenton 2,309 17·

g Williston 2,722 11 ...:i Blackville i,901 14 ~ < u Barnwell 4,568 7.5

~ Denmark 3,221 21 0 en Bamberg J,081 27

Fairfax 1,814 25

Allendale 3,114 20

..:i; Augusta 70,600 31 lrl (!} ~ Waynesboro 5,359 32 0 [il'

t."'

Sourc;es of Data: State Development Boards of South Carolina and Georgia, 1967. Conunercial Atlas and Marketing Guide, Rand McNally, 1964. _ Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan, Barnwell County, South Carolina Development Board, 1967. ·

=~.

;·

- 9 - A-14

1.5 Meteorology

The BNFP site, approximately BS miles inland from the Atlantic

Ocean and near the "Fall Line 11 separating the ·Piedmont and

the C()astal Plain,. experiences a mesothermal climate,

according to the Koppen-Geiger classification. This means the.

~yerage monthly temperature for at least one month is below

64°F, the average temperature of the warmest month is

greater than 72°F, and precipitation is fairly uniformly

distributed thorughout the year.

1.5.l Precipitation and Wind

The.nearest ESSA (Weather Bureau) station at

Auqusta, Georgia, 35 ·miles NW of the site, reports:

"Mec:1.surable snow is a rarity, occurring on;Ly about

once in 10 years, and then remains on the ground only

a short time. Ice storms, dam<1ging winds, and very

low temperatures are also of rare occurrence with zero

temperature readings never having been reached in more

than 80 years of records."

The average maximum temperature at the site area is 91°F,

average minimum temperature is 36°F, with an extreme

maximum of 99°F and an extreme minimum of 6°F. The

annual rainfall is approximately 39 inches, with about

105 days per year having measurable rain. The greatest

snowfall of record for 24 hours is 1.3 inches and the

maximum snowpack of record is approximately 10 pounds

per square foot. The tornado frequency in the Barnwell

County area has a recurrency interval of about five

r) ;:i

"" 10 - A-15

years. The·plan1: wi11 be designed to maintain

integrity of critical systems under tornado winds.

Although the BNFP is far· enough inland to avoid

hurricane force· winds associated with storms of tropi-1

~al origin, such storms do, on occasion, move over the

area and are accompanied by hea\ry rainfall. The site

elevation above surface streams and nearby Par Pond,

together with the gently rolling characteristic of

the terrain, preclude any· possibility of flooding<o£.

t:he site •

. LS.2 Atmospheric Diffusion·

.The BNFP release of gaseous ef&,uents will be from

an elevated stack. There are no hills or valleys in

the vicinity which would tend to channel air flow or

create mechanical turbuience. There are no bodies of

water in the' vicinity sufficiently large to create

atmospheric diffusion-problems associated with a

water-land transition zone. The u. s. Geological l '

Survey classified the landform of Barnwell County as

"A2c-Smooth Plain 11 ~ which means: ·\.

a. More than 80% of area gently sloping,

b. Local relief varies from 100 to 300 ft. (actual is

approximately 130 to 270 ft. within 5 miles of

plant site), and

c. 50-75% of gentl~ slope is on upland.·

Therefore, the general nature of the BNFP site permits

the use of ·the Gaussian distribution equation, which

is most generally accepted, to x·elate concentrations

----------------------------~---..,..--~~--~--~,~ •. -:--,.-,~70,~.··-:"."~~7c:---::-~-,-~-::;--~--;--c.~---,. ·"-. 1-.- ·-' .·

.. '

... ,,,·

- 11 - A-l6

or dosages at any point in space to the rate o

emission of airborne radipnuclides. On the ba

of this equ"-tion and the meteorological paranie

do9umented during: the period from,1955 thru 19'

annual· average relative dilution, X/Q, of airb

material (sec m-3) from the 100 meter stack wa

calculated, w~er~:.

,,

X is the concentration at point x,y,z, dow

from the source (curies meter-3).

Q is the rate of emission (curies sec-1)

These results' are shown graphically in Figure . ·~:.

1.6 Geology·

The proposed Barnwell site is iocated within the Aike.

Plateau portion of the Atlantic c6astal Plain physiog.

province.

The site is underlain by about lQOO feet of geologic~

unconsolidated. and occasionally cemented sediments of'

Qua ternary, . Tertiary and Cretaceous ages, overlying ·· · l basement rocks composed of sandstones and basalts of

a:

Triassic age and Precambian schist.

::1.·

·.The geologic li te:tature and our site investigation to

of 240 feet indicate that the upper four formations ti:

the Barnwell site are the Hawthorne, Barnwell, McBea~

Congaree formations of Tertiary age. Correlation of

formations encountered in our investig4tion with thes•

formations· was made.

. i

I

- 12 - A.-17

Underlying the Congaree for~ation are Ellenton and Tuscaloosa

formations of the Cretaceous age. Relative formation thickness-

es are approximately 115 feet for' the Ellenton and 530 feet

for the Tuscaloosa.

1. 6 .1 Surface Features.

The general site area is characterized by gently

rolling.plains covered with medium to heavy dense

vegetation and woodlands.

A few small marshy areas are found withil" the overall

site area, the nearest being over 1,200 feet east

of . the proposed con,s truction area. With the exception

of these occasional marshy areas, the ground surface is

dry and firm. The site area is crossed by a number

of paved and unpaved roads.

1~6:2 Subsurface Conditions

The surficial soils (Quaternary) found within the

site area consist of loose to medium dense fine sand

and silty fine sand extending to·aepths of from two

to seven feet below existing grade. The average thick­

ness is about four feet. The Hawthorne (Miocene)

and Barnwe~l (Eocene) Formations consist of sand-clay

mixtures. The McBean and Congaree (Eocene) Formations

contain more sand. The Ellenton and Tuscaloosa Forma-

tions, composed cf sand and gravel with some clay,

cornprf se the Cretaceous sediments underlying the

Tertiary sands and clays.

:Extensive drilling, sampling and analysis in th,e

...

.\

- 13- /\.-ilJ .

immediate area of critical structures have demonstrated

that th~ soil·i~ satisfaGtory for t~e support 6f

iuch structures~ We have considered the possibility

of liquefaction of soil at depths of 40 to 70 feet .,

below grade. There is no record of such an occurrence

at such depths ~n generall~ level terrain. Nevertheless;

to pr~~.ide an increased factor of safety, Applicant

.will add fifte~n feet of compacted~arth (a perm) in

·the area of critical structures.

1.7 Seismology

Earthquake history for this region of the United States

begins in 1663. The 'greatest intensity e:_?<perienced at the

site resulted from the 1886 Charleston earthquake, centered

some 80 miles away. The BNFP appe~rs to be favorably

situated with respect to earthquakes originating in the

Charleston area. Although Augusta experienced intensity VII,

Barnwell (7-1/2 miles east of the BNFP) and Williston (11 miles

north) experienced lower intensities, probably VI and IV

respectively, and they are over 30 miles closer to the

epicenter. Earthquakes originating elsewhere have not affected

.the site with intensity greater than v. With the exception

of the Charleston, South Carolina area, the south-eastern

United States is characterized by low seismic activity.

There is n6 historical record of surface faulting accompanying

an earthquake in South.Carolina or adjacent states.

There are no recorded centers of damage (field epicenters)

nearer to the site than the Rantowle~ (Charleston)· area --

. i

I

' "

I '

- 14 - "' I 'I

about 80 miles distant.

Whil~ Applicant's primary reliance for cooling in the BNFP

will b~ on use of well water, it is not anticipated that

' water wells in the general BNFP area could suffer any

dam~ge as a result of a major earthquake such as the

Charl~ston earth~uake of 1886. Historically, water wells

have never suffered damage due to earthquakes except ih the

immediate epicentral area. Of the thousands of wells.

in seismically active areas, such as Califor~ia, there

have been no reports of damage to water wells ~xcept by

surface rupture along faults or ground movement due to

landsliding. Geologic conditions at the BNFP preclude

such faults, ruptures, or landsliding. ·1

1.7.l Design Basis

The maximum intensity of ;:my earthquake experienced

historic~lly in t~e Barnwell area was VI. For the

"operating basis earthquake" (that is,. the greatest·

earthquake likely to aff~ct the BNFP in its lifetime)

an even greater margin of safety is obtainable by

assuming an intensity of VII. Intensity VII corresponds

to a surface acceleration of .12g according to the I

re;ta tionship presented by Hershberger. For .the "design

basis earthquake", a surface acceleration of .~Og is

e~ployed. This is considered the greatest credible

shock at the site. (The "design basis ear~hquake" is

a hypothetical e~rthquake which exceeds in intensity

any earthquake considered to be plausible at the site.)

Intensities above r~fer to the Modified Mercalli Scale

of 1931. /

···~ .,~

... ; !

- 15 - ' f; -20

1.8 Ground Water

Ground water is found in the heterogeneous mass of pervious

and impervious sediments beneath the site. Sediments of

greatly diffeFing permeabilities; such as sands· and clays,

are interlayer~d and water travelling in the_ permeable

strata is confined beneath the overl~ying impermeable strata.

This confined w~ter is under a hydraulic~head which increases

as the water move~' drJ'.·m s1ope, p:i;oducing artes:i.an conditions.

Water may cic..::ttr in per,\dous material on top of the uppermost

impervious layer and be unconfined. Both unconfined and

confined (artesia~) waters aie present in the BNFP area.

At t.he Fall Line, runoff from the Piedmont. enter.s the

Tuscaloosa Format.ion through its surface ex:i;:osure.: northwest

of the site and percolates downslope (southeast) beneath the

overlying, lesi permeable McBean For~ation and much less

permeable Barnwell and Hawthorne Formations. The path and

velocity enroute is controlled. by the permeability of the

materials and their dimensional ~xtent as well as by the

hydraulic gradient. The Tuscaloosa formation usually yields

large quantities of water to properly constructed wells. 1 The

water in the Tuscaloosa Formation is discharged by:

a. being forced by pressure into overlying beds,

:P. wi thdrawa·1 from wells, and

c. persumably as outflow along the o.ffshore outcrop.

The underlying McBean Formation contains more silt and clay

and yields only moderate quantities of water to wells. The

Barnwell Fo.rmation yields a limited quantity of water mainly

,:,,

-----------------

- 16 - A ·21

because the fine sand grains are mixed with a significant

proportion of si 1 t and clay., The Hawthorn~ Formation

consists primarily of compact mixtures.of silts, clays

and sand and yields insignificant amounts of water but

results in some perched water found in lenticular pervious

materials within the silts and clays. An undulating cla,r

later was found in some drill h6les at 35 to 40 feet in

' " depth. In some areas the clay layer is discontinuous and

water is free to move through the layer.

Construction of all faci.li t.ies at the BNFP will be undertaken

without entering the lower confined zone and without upsetting

th~ present b~l~nce of water levels or pressures in these

zones.

1.8.1· Use of ~round Water

·All municipal water supplies within d 75-mi le radius·

of the plant site utilize wells fbr water sources ..

The' riearest privat~ well is lo~ated about 2 miles east

of the plant e~cluii0ri area. Th~ ne~rest well used

for potable wata~ is ·~t the B~rnwell ~atehouse of

the Savannah River Plant, about 1-1/2 miles southea~t

of the plant exclusion area.

The BNFP will draw water from wells in the Tuscaloosa

aquifer.

1.8.2 Direction of Ground Water Flow

Investigations made to date at the BNFP site indicate

that the upper unconfined water is at a depth of

,.·i

''

- ·'·

· - 17 - A-22

app:i;"oximately 40 feet,· with seasonal fluctuations

of 3 to S feet. Diiection of f lo\il from the BNFP is

in a southerly direction, with eventual drainage

into Lower Three Runs Creek.·

Augmenting the current program, additional investigations

regarding such ground water, including additional

review of available historical records from the

immediate area, will be instituted. Supplementary

observation wells will be installed to provide for

continued observation of the ground water pehavio~

throughout the operation of the BNFP. Thus, prior

to start of operation, there will be a total of

five years of observation data of the· actual ground­

water conditions at the BNFP r,;ite. Also, .these

data and additional observation time will provide

information for more accurate estimation of the long

travel time for ground-water to migrate to Lower

Three Runs Creek.

1.8.3 Water Quality

\

Radiochemical and chemical analyses of water from \

the upper unconfined water table, the Barnwell and.

Tuscaloosa Aquifers, will be conducted on a routine

basis, beginning late 1970, to monitor seasonal

changes which may occur. This program will continue

throughout the operating life of the BNFP. These

continuing studies will provide additional safeguards

and assurances to verify future safe operation of

the plant.

J

18 - A-23

So much for introductory background. There follows information

on the various additional factors required to be included in

the Environmental Report.

, . ·'

- 19 - A-24

, ... , .l_ -·

2. Environmental Effects

The proposed BNFP will have the following effects on the

environment:

a. Release of small, controlled quantities.of radionuclides

and small, controlled quantities of oxides of nitrogen to

the.air.

b. Construction of building structures.

c.. Land usage.

d. Release of cooling water to Lower Three Runs Creek. f

The basic policy governing the design of the BNFP is:

(i) to employ all practicable measures available to prevent '.

or abate pollution of the environment and (ii) to cooperate

fully with ·go~er'runental pollution control agencies. Implementation.

of this basic policy will result in pollution aba_tement controls

which will keep the releases of such radionuclides or other

chemicals .. tci the environment as low as practicable. They will

be significantly below the recognized recommendations by the

Federal Radiati.on' Council, fimits established by the AEC ·as

listed to 10 CFR.20.106, and standards of the South Carolina

Board of Health and Pollution Control Authority.

To assure that this basic policy is met, a comprehensive

environmental monitoring program will be conducted to assess

the environmental impacts of BNFP operations on the surrounding

area to a distance of 25 miles. This program will begin in the

fall of 1970 to provide a baseline for pre-operational

conditions. The program wili include .observations of the

site hydrology, the existing levels of radioactive materi~ls

'"

- 20 - A-25

in the environment and the ecology of selected representative

plant and ~nimal systems. It is presently intended that this

program will be' conducted by an independent organization.

Findings and results will be submitted periodically to AEC's

Division of Regulation and to the South Carolina Pollution

Control Authority.

2.1 Air Effluents

The releases through t.he stack to the atmosnherc will

consist mainly of filtered air, water vapor, small amounts

of oxides of nitrogen and trace quantities of radionuclides

including krypton-85, tritium and other fission products.

The air effluent flow from the stack wi~.l be approximately

130,000 cubic feet per minute at a release temperature of

approximately.120°F. The moisture content will be about 7%,

with a dew point on the order of 100-105°F.

It'is calculated that an individual, were he to remain

contim.!ously for one year at the nearest BNFP ·site boundary

acc.essible to the public, would, over such period., receive an

exposure of ap?roximately 44 ~illirem, of which 40

millirem would be contributed bv. kr-ypton-85. The Federal

Radiation Council has recommended annual limits of 500 . '

·. millirern for exposure of an individual and 170 mill irem

for the general population. Actually, it is not to be

expected that. any individual off the site would, in fact,

be subject to those conditions; accordingly exposure of any

individual would be less.

Annual exposure to the population of the nearest incorporated ,. community, the town of Barnwell, approximately 7.5 miles

·----· -------· -------- -------

.,<··.

·\

""' 21 - A-26

east of BNFP, is calculated to be. only· 2·~5% of maximum

pe:pnissible,limits specified in 10 CFR 20.106.

· · Maximwn. external exposure to any individual offsite from

th~ postulated .. upper limit criticality accident would be

less.than 2~ of the maximum permissible limits specified

in 10 CFR 20.106.

• The annual average ground level of oxides of nitrogen, a

non;;.radioactive ·chemical, will'.. be c~m' the o.rder of 0. 0005 I

parts· per miilion, which is well below proposed state

standards.

2.2 Liguid Effluents

Normal· liquid ·effiuerit released to the Lower Three Runs

Creek will be well water which has been used only for --..._ .

flow ·of. water* ·discharged from the plant' will range from

8,000 ~allons~~~r rnin~te in 1974 to 12,000 ~allons per

minute in 1982. The· resulting maximum ef_fluent temperature

at the release point to the Lower.Three Runs Creek will not

;.- .!

* These water flows relate to Applicant's amendment of his design

criteria for hi.gh activity waste storage. In lieu of the earlier

planned boilingwaste, design bases now define a cooled ~aste storage

system. While this wi·11 result in a greater rate of water flow, it

will provide an additional barrier between the fission-product

containing waste and the cooling water and also will result in a

lower water discharge temperatur,e than heretoiore contemplated.

:

·'·~--~-·-··-· -------.......-----------.....

r i'

- 22 - A-27

exceed the standards of the South Carolina Pollution

Control Authority. Recent reports from the University of

Ge9rgia at the savannah River Ecology Laboratory related

to Par Pond .indicate temperatures up to ll0°F not only to

be hannl.ess to local aquatic life but to promote growth.

All water discharged from .. the plant will pass through a

cooling pond which will contain approximately 15 million

gallons of water and will proyide .some cooling. There

will be no adverse effc.::t..on stream biology of Lower Three

Runs Creek. Stream flo.w wil,l be increased, but this is

expected to be beneficial.

2.3 Onsite Construction

There will be certain n~glig~ble alterations (not necessarily

adverse) of the environment on the l700 acre tract of land '. . ,' .

fer the pi;:_oposed - Bl-J.FP_ site. These changes are a result of:

• Excavations necessary for construction of the 15-foot berm

and ponds.

· Construction of the process _l;>uild,i.ng.

• Construction of the acc~_ss road and the railroad spur.

• Construction e.nd use of trenches for.' underground storage· '

of radioactive leached fuel-element hulls. Approximately

50 acres over a 10-year period will_ be utilized for this

purpose. Underground storage practices will permit the

recovery of these hulls any. time within a period of 20

years. · .. '

2 • 4 Water l.Sage

Water supply for all requirements of BNFP will be taken

from the Tuscaloosa aquifer at a depth of. 800-900 feet.

,_

- 23 ··- A-28

gy the year 1982, the projected water requireme1'.lts for the ' ., - . . .

BNFP will ievel off and ·be supplied by six wells with a · '·· '

capacity of 3 million gallons per day each. Ap. observation . ' . . - - .

·well for the purpose of evaluating drawdown effects on this

aquifer and those above is planned for installation in the

summer of 1971. Well spacing and locatioz:i .. will be deter­

mi_ned on .the basis of this information.

2:5 Effects of BNFP Effluent Releases

Neither_BNFP effluent releases nor BNFP activities will

produce any significant or me·asurable effects on life

processes of the.ecosystem of the immediate area. However,

a study of selected plants and animals will be made as

part of the environmental monitoring program to verify

the absence of effects attributable to the operation of

the BNFP.

1'", '.~ .. ·,•., ···, -'

: .. · ..

- 24 - A-29

' /

3. Nature of the Environmental Effects

3.1 The BNFP'will not create any significant or measurable· ' '

adverse environmental effects.

3.2 There will be minimal effect on the natural environment

on the 1700-~cre ~ite due to construction of BNFP. Such j

effects, however, will,be localized, and no adverse effect

will extend beyond the boundaries of the 1700-acre site.

. i~

- 25 - .A-30

4. Alternatives to the Proposed Action

4.1 Within the present state of the art, /'there are no adequate

alternatives to the construction of a plant ~uch as the

BNFP. The proposed site was chosen on the basis of overall

safety and optimum environmental cqnditions, optimum·

location to service the maximum nu.mber of power reactors,

with minimum transportation requirements and a suitable

labor market. It would be difficult to find a site in

th~ United States that would be more ideal from the

environmental standpoint.

4. 2 ·The BNFP construction is scheduled .. to be cornpl,eted in ;,:

1973, with actual operation now projected to begin in . i

1974. This schedule is compatible ~ith projected needs ~ ' .' .. ' ..

of the U~ S. electrical power industry. Late in 1973,

the commercial fuel recovery capability of the u. s. now

existing and under construction will not be able to meet

the demand.

4.3 If the BNFP is not so installed by 1973, the safe disposal,

handling and storage of irradiated fuel elements which

could not be reprocessed would create substantial problems.

To our knowledge, the full impact of these problems has not

been considered, much less evaluated.

Therefore, failure to constr~ct the BNFP or, prolonged delay

in completion ,of same would have ·a· severe adverse economic

'·" , ..

impact on electrical power companies. Such failure or delay

also would have severe adverse effects on· the public interest

which requires that the growing power needs be adequately met,

! ;

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11

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- 26 - A-31

The Relationship Between Local Short-Term Uses of Man's

Environment and the Maintenance and Enhancement of Long-Term

Productivity.

5~1 The use of the Tuscaloosa aquifer as a supply of water, and I

the transfer of this water through the ENFP process to the

Savannah River without contact with radioactive materials

or toxic chemicals,· does not constitute an abuse of this

natural resource. The recharging capability of this

aquifer is far in excess of the projected BNFP use.

5.2 The i4 acres for construction of the process b~ilding and

supporting operations can be considered to be altered

because of the extensive use of reinforced concrete

required for the process-building construction.

5.3 Several mE;?thods of preventina release of krypton and of

storing it are under development by the.AEC. Even if no

satisfactory ~ethod for recovery of krypton-85 and its

storage were to be found, the release of this radionuclide

from the BNFP to the world-wide air mass by the .end of 20

years is estimated to bP. less than 0. Oil percent of the

. maximum limit as stated in 10 CFR 20.

5.4 After 20 years at peak design operation of 1500 tons per

year, BNFP releases of tritium to the atmosphere will total

less than 0.0002% of the estimated world-wide inventory of

tritium which existed below the stratosphere at the end

of above-ground weapons testing in 1962.

•. -~{;'

_/

- 27 - A-32

6. Extent to which.Any Commitments of Resources might be Irreversible

6.1 Structures

The main process building and liquid. waste storage vaults

will be constructed of massive, heavily reinforced concrete

in large part. Because of the nature of the construction 1

and the fact that the internal portion of the building

will become radioactive by virtue of the proposed use,

the dismantling of the building would be impractical but

not impossible.

6.2 Underground Storage

Up to fifty acres of the site will be used for the underground

temporary storage of solid radioactive scrap material. Such

material will a.11 be packaged to prevent the escape of ·

radioactive material to the environment. Such material I

will be packaged in containers of such design that t:.hey

can be retrieved, uncontaminiited, at any time for a period

of up to twenty years and be shipped off-site. Radioactive

solid scrap no~ so handled (control rods, discarded process

equ~pment, etc._} will be transported to a disposal site on

State-owned property.

6 .. 3 Other Commitments

There will be no other irreversible or irretrievable

commitments of resources resulting from prpposed use of

the site.

~ . '

,· . .::

- 28 - A~33

7. Additional Information

7.1 Environmental Studies Planned

An environmental monitoring program wiil be conducted,

beginning in late 1970, and will continue through

the operating life of the proposed facility. This

program will be coordin~ted with the AEC's Savannah

River Operations Office, the States of Georgia and

South Carolina and local and county health agencies,

as appropriate. As data are collected and analyzed,

and operational experience obtained, the magnitude

or this program and specific sample collection may

be modified accordingly.

7.1.1 Program Objectives

The objectives of this program are:

a. to provide a base line to verify the

adequacy of source control,

b. ·to p~6vid~ data t6 estimate population

exposure from act~al operations,

c. to provide a source of data for public

information,

d. to evaluate the bont~ibution of the

AEC's Savannah River Plant and other

sources to back-ground levels in areas

under the influence of BNFP operations,

e. to maintain surveillance of the environmental

and ecological impacts of the BNFP.

29 - A-34

7.1.2 Concentrations ~f Radionuclides and Exposure

Levels

The monitoring. network an.d sample locations

will cover an 1800. square m~le area encompassing

parts ot_Aiken, Barnwell, and Allendale Counties

in South Carolina, anq Bur.ke and Screven Counties

in Georgia. The sample locations and measured

concent.ra_ti.ons of radionuclides in air, water,

vegetation, mi·lk, surface an~ subsurface water,

and stream sediments w~l,l,dernorystrate the magnitude

and origin of existing levels. The measured con­

centrations will be. cqmpar~d with limits established ! ..

in 10 CFR 20.106,by t~e South Carolina Pollution

Control Authority and the recommendations of the

Federal.Radiation Council.

7.1.3 Radiation Ecology

Representative plants and animals from the eco-

system will be selected and studied to determine

any biological changes .. The basis for this

selection of species wiil be their availability

as sample media, economical value and their

• position in the critical path to man. It is

understood that changes are expected because

~ of seasonal fluctuations in rainfall, temperatures,

plant diseases, the use o~ pesticides, etc.

Nevertheless, ecology studies will be conducted

to determine if these changes are attributable to

•l;

(

- 30 - A-35

the extremely low-level radiation exposure from

BNFP. The· program will .be de.signed to detect· ,:, '.·· .,

changes in normal trends so that if any corrective

action were to be desired, it could be instituted. ,,-

7. 1. 4 Hydrology

A detailed hydrology program will be implemented

to rhoni tor the depth of. gr~urd-wa ter and seasonal

·_ flU:ctua'tion an:a dl.rection of ~round-water move­

ment. The effects of a·.r·awd-~~n and interaction

of the three-basic aquifers relating to ·radio­

nuclide movement and long-term use of the Tuscaloosa

aquifer by BNFP will be documented. As oart of

this· study program, one well will be placed in

the Tuscaloosa aquifer to a depth of approximately

800 ft. This drilling will be accomplished by

the summer of 1971 f·or use in observation and testing

and to supply water requirements for construction

activ~ties. Information obtained will be used to

determine optimum well-spacing and pumping rates.

7.1. 5 Program Direction

To assure that this program is conducted impartially,

the services of an independent and nationally

recognized consultant in radioecology will be I . .

retained. This consultant will serve as

principal investigator for the overall environ-

mental program. and will:

]

- . 31 - A-36

(i) advise the Applicant on critical links

in the pat~way .to man and, most importantly,

provide consultation concerning environ-

mental impacts;

(ii) specify biological sampling r~quirements and·

technique~,· frequencies, anc:l statistics

(iii)

J necessary to study effec~s of the BNFP on

the biota of the immediate area;

have available to him e~µerts in hydr6logv

and micro.:..meteorology, which can be made

/

available to the BNPP Management for assistance

and guidance, and

(iv) be supported by independent ~~encies for

the conduct of the actual program samoling

and analysis. Preferably, these agencies ' , . .. ' . ....

will be southeastern universities whi~h

.have the competency, facilities, and the

necessary instrumentation.

7. 2 Recreation

The site is located in a rural area and is not associated

with any organized recreational activities.

7.2.1 No public recreational facilities are planned

at the BNFP site.

7.2.2 There are no recreational facilities in the immediate

area of the BNFP site, For the past 19 years, the

BNFP site has been part, of the Savannah River Plant,

owned by the Federal Government~ Public access to

-,_,

'.':'-, -yl

- 32 - A-37

the area has been restricted. The nearest recreational

facility is near the Town of Barnwell and will not

be 'affected by the operation of BNFP. The Boiling

Springs picriic area, at a distan'ce of 8 miles, \

will not-be adversely affected by the BNFP oper?tion. , ,

7.3 Pollution Control Measures ",, .. ;•

The primary consideration governing the design of the BNFP

is the control and containment of radioactive materials

to assure the protection, Of the puhlic, the plant employees

, and the tmvi.ronment., BNFP operations will pro,duce

radioacb •re and non-xadioacti ve wastes. The radioactive

wastes an~ solid, liquid and airborne. The non-radioactive

wastes ~re the oxides of nitrogen arid cooling wat~r.

Pollution control facilitie~s as listed below for these

waste materials will entail an e:>cpenditure in the order

of $40,000,000 to assure that releases of these materials

will be as low as practicable and well below established

, release limits. Although single pollution abatement

systems would be sufficient, back-up systems will be

provided in many cases to provide an additional margin of

safety.

7.3.l Airborne Effluerits

the proc~s~ building ventilation system will

provide air-flow through the building complex

maintaining pressure differentials between

areas in a manner that will confine radioactive

materials. The purif~ed off-gases and. ~cid

\,

- 33 - A-38

fractionator overhead~will join -Che cell

ventilation flow at the stack.

Radi.oactive particulate will be removed from the

ventilation a.i,r by primary and high-efficiency

·,filters .at the discharge of the cells. Ventilation

air from the ~ells .will be collected in a header

·which runs the length of the process ceils. The

air will then be d.·a'.wn .through a final high-efficiency

filter 'system, with dis.charge through the 100-meter

stack. A simplified block diagram of the ventilation ' __ _,'

system, shown in Figure 7, dep_icts the dual

·f~lt~~tion for the process areas and the triple­

fil tratiori for the plutonium cells.

The vessel (VOG) and dissolver (DOG) off-gas

systems,which handle over 90% of .the airborne

materials, will be provided with a series 6f

gas-t-.reatment equipment. - This equipment will

include a nitrogen oxide absorber, two iodine

scrubbers, an off-gas heater and a series of.

iodine adsorbers. _ Th_is series wi 11 be followed

by a final high,-efficiency filter unit. Figure B

shows th~ e.ssential features of the off-gas

systems treatment for removal of radionuclides.

,' ·:

- 34 - A-39

7.3.2 Liquid Waste Management

There wi 11 be two types of radioac.ti ve liquid

waste generated by BNFP: (i) high-level liquid

waste (HLLW) and (ii) intermediate-level liquid

·waste (ILLW)·. The HLLW wi 11 contain the major

portion of fission products introduced_ to the

plant with the fuel elements.

High-level waste solution will be stored as a ' •'

co~le~ acid ~elution in stainless ste~l tanks

contained in_ a stainle~_s steel-.lined vault.

The integrity of this high-le_vel waste management

storage system has been well-demonstrated at AEC ' . 1· .

facilities over the past _20 years.

The HLLW ~torage system will be designeo to maintain

its integrity in the event o_f any natural phenomenon,

such as a design-basis earthquake or tornado-force

winds of 300 miles per ho1:1.:r-, i.ncluding air-borne

missiles.

The design will.preclude the overheating with

·resultant excessive evaporation of the stored

wastes. Overheating will be prevented by assuring

an adequate and reliable cooling-water supply.

The only credible.po"tential·loss.of cooling water

that can be postulated ·would be due to the loss of

electrica,l power. In the event of oower failure

for any reason, either one of two diesel generators

---

'

) • .!

. J•

- 35 - A-40

will restore power to the.waste supply system. In

the virtually incredible event that both of

these shouid fail, a completely independent supply

system will be energized. Either of two diesel­

driven ~umps will pump water from the water­

cooling pond. This independent water system will

be adeqQate t.o a!?sure cooling for a period of

ove_:r- ?2 hours pending restoration of either

commercial electric power or one of the diesel

electric ge~era'tors. A four-day reserve fuel

·.supply will. be provided for the diesel-driven

pumps.

The cri.teria ·for design of. the HLLW storage are

~s follows:

·Insure absolut~ confinement of HLLW by multiple

ba,rriers.

·Insure cooling to remove self-ger.erated fission . .

product heat by redundant cooling systems.

•Provide adequate spare storage tank. capacity

and insure capability to transfer solution

to alternate storage or processing equipment

with redundant transfer systems.

·Control corrosion by appropriate design

a~d operating measures.

I )

'.·!:

,-,<

•I ·1 " l '1

- 36 - A-41

~Control non-condensable gases and airborne

particulates inc~uding rad~olytic H2·

•Store in a form to facilitate future solidification.

Under, the proposed AEC"National Policy on the

disposal of high-level liquid wastes·,· such wastes

would be solidified within 5 years of generation

a~d the solids would be shipped to a national

burial center for final di'sposal withir. 10 years.

Le.ss .. active waste · strP-arns which are not. sel·f-heating

will be collected and concentrated by the General

Purpose Evaporator and will b~ stored as intermediate

level liquid waste (ILLW). The basic storage

. design' criteria, other than the ne'ed for cooling,

of the HLLW will apply to the ILLT'i'.

7.3.3 Cooling Water Backup and Release

A cooling water pond will be provided to assure

an independent supply of cooling water for critical

cooling requirements as outlined above in 7.3.2.

All liquid effluent discharged from the plant

will pass through the pond which will contain

approximately 15 million gallons of water.

7.3.4 Solid Waste Disposal

1,Radioactive solid waste generated by BNFP falls

into two categories: First, the dissolver scrap

consisting of undissolved parts of fuel elements

including leached hulls, end pieces and spacers;

.·:

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7.3.5

- 37 - A-42

and second, misceil?trieous waste consisting of

worn-out process ~quipment, filters and

laboratory waste material. Solid scrap will . - .. . ,•' , •; .

be segregated according to category and ' . . . . . '

degree of contamination and be stored under­

ground in concrete containers, 1 shipped off-site

to a commercial. radioactiv~ waste-disposal

agency or both. The storage containers, design

of trenches and surface .g~~ding will be such

as to prevent the leaching of radionuclides to ~ ' ' ' '

the soil ~nd ground-water • . )

direct Radiati~n Control

The general pUblic.and_BNFP employees will be

shielqed by massive concrete from direct ionizing

radiation emanatin<;J. from the mixed· fission

products befng process7d. -Water will provide

shielding during transfer and storage of the ' ' ' ,· .

intact fuel elements in; the fuel pools.

7. 3. 6 Other Pol1lution Abatement Systems

Other pollution-abatement systems are:

a. Acid-recovery systems which will provide

for the resue of nitric acid employed in

the process.

b. Sanitary sewage treatment by a disposal

system meeting State requirements.

c. Monitoring systems for control of gaseous

and liquid effluents. Diversion of liquid

'~.

. ~. '·

. _]

- 38 - A-43

effluent .streams and decontamination as

appropriate.in the unlik~iy event of .,

malfunction.

d.' redunda~t emerg~ncy elecitrical power systems.

e. Process sampling system to provide information

foi:- maintaining pr~cess s'tream purity within

o~irating limits.

f. Geometric and neutron absorber critica~ity

contr~ls.

g. Remote handling. equi12ment to reduce exposure

of'operators to radiation. . .

7.4 ~icenses and Permits Required from State and Local Agencies

7.4.1 South C~iolina Pollution Cont~ol Auf~oritv

a. Pot~ble· ·drinking water supply'

b. Non~radioactive air effluent releases

c. Non-'radioa'c::itiVe liquid effluent release

(chemical and thermal)

7.4.2 South Carolina Department of Public Health for .. ,

license of underground waste storage and for

sewage treatment •

'·I

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BARNWELL NUCLEAR FUEL PLANT

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I . ·I ·I

APPENDIX B A-52

DEPARTMENT OF HOU~!NG AND UREIAN DEVELOPMENT

'WASHINGTON, 0. C. 20410

AUG 2 'I l~hl

~.· -..

OF"FICE OF THE UNDER SECF<ETARY IN REo:PLY RCFE"R TO:'.

Mr. Harold L; Price Di rector of P.egu1 ations U. S. /\tomic Energy Commission 14a:;hingtun, D. C. 20545 ,.

[)ear Mr. P.ri ce:

. This is in reply to your letter of July 31., 1970) requesting HUD comments on. an environm~ntal. report prepared by /l.1lied-Gulf l·luclea1· Services for its proposet!,Barrn·:e.11 r!uclear Fi;el Plant. (Docket No. 50-332) . ' ' '

., _,

·The Bani1·!ell Nl~ckar Fuel Plti:it (BNFP) is to l>e locutecl cm ci tract of 1 and approx·iriiately 1700 acn~s, 7 1/2 miles ~1est of the town of Barm·.'C:!ll in Barm:cl~ County, Soutl1 Carolina. Banw1ell County, 1·1it'1 a popul~tion in 1960of17,659 touches the eastern l.lorrlerof Georgia; The proposed s·ite is co:1tigu0Us \·1Hh tlic eastei·n. bnundv.ry of AEC's Savannc:h f!h'~r Plant. The p;·iinary purpose of the DNFP is to i·ecover unmium and plu.ton.ium from .i.i:-radia~ed fuels follo\·ling disci"1a1·92 from li9ht-1·1oter n:odercited c.ncl coolP.d nucleur pm;1~r reactors,. Construction iS anticipatf'd to beg'in early in 197'1, and coi~1pletion is scheduled for 1973.. At thc:i.t tin:c~ the plant 1·mul d have cn.a1~nu~1 capacity of 1500 rn~tr·ic tolls of uraniwn1·riti1 a uranfum d·j:; ... sol ut'ion capJcity of 6 tbns and a daily sepanitfon capucity of 5 tons.

Altl1ough the recovery of fissionable fuels is the pr·imary purpose of the pltint, J\llired-Culf tluclcar Services lists oth~r functions to be undert~ken by the 13i'lf P. These focl ud<:? the rec.~i ving anct storag~ of i rrudiuted fuel elem2ilts, mechanical and che.nical processing to separate n.n0 recover the desi\'<:!c:.i products, the handling and sh·ip:iient of recovGr'ed fuels for return to the custom21·, and the permanent storage of solid and liquid wastes.

HUD Comment ----~-----

!. >

We d2-Pcr to oth~l' depu.rtm?nts ancl a9·2ncies on radiation and thermal d·;schar9e standards, safety. ~;1d Nater qllality. With certain exceptions listed be'loi'!, we believ2 thcit the envircrn:1c;·1tal statement for tile Br-li-P indicates reasonuble tr2a.tn·;2nt of en\ri ronrn~ntal conseciucnces.

'J ..

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HUD Reservations "£.

l. AlthoLl£1ll the anticipated site for the construction of the f.JNFP appears to be adequate in tenns of presRnt conditions, the final envi­ronmentu1 statr.mcnt sho1Jl d consider future porulation trends of nearby communities, as well as the effect tliut the DNFP 1·1ill have on the. economic developm2nt of the area. For cxaJi:pk. "Lhe comrlction of the: plant \lti11 cert,1inly bri119 ric1·1 cmployoes and their fantiJies to the urea. Further, the statt~i;l'~11L ind·i cu tc:s thut t.he pl ant is to. b~ ·part of an Inclt1s trial Park pl ilfl!IC~d tiy Carr;\·Jell Cot,mty.

2. Al so in re ga t·d to future g ro~·:th u1HI other 111:1t it.: r::, , rc~ri on ~1 l c:incl state plil111ling agencies should be consultNI .. State i.loc:ncics in Gr~or£J·iti as \I/ell JS South C<lrol·in2 should l10

1

includ2d since thC! cbv8loprnr:nt e:ffccts \':ill cc1'i".~linly extend. ovc:r iho ~tc:.r~c-. bo1.1ncJtiry.into r."or~fiu. The rJrc:~.ent stcr te1,::~1i:~ slio1·1~ .. no indfr<1t"iun that these· .:i~.r::r!c-ics. hiiV(!· been conc;ul "loci in the pi arining or' tile proposc·d plafrt. ·., ·1r, 9enc:r,-:1 ·~ \'1c· lie!"!icvr. ::;uch rnrr•,v1 LE; l.ior1 slwulc: tu:~C! plocP L•cfo;-.; ll:c init-ial circul~·ifon c1f e1w'ironi,•'·11·t.;:l stiJli::•;,,~nl.s to Feck~ rctl a~r:nn cs.

. 3. ~-Jc al S(i -su9~J;~5t that tlw environrn::n1.<1l stah:11:·.:11t be r.:·vie::·1Cd t,y .sorr::.: rnccms. suc·11 as. tl1osc c:;l'1hl"islic·d by U1c BLll'P.'ll' of U1C' BtHir.;et Ctrculvr /\-9S, and tflc com:11211t~, if cuiy, nf the~ a1~Jpropri rd.cc ai·cti pl'cmn·iiig <.:t~c'IH)' he incl ud::cl in tlie fi11<1.l cnvir011:: . .::1tul .. st<1L~~m~nt. In lllis Ci.:SU tlie,:p11r.:ipritit·:-·u~2ncy is:

.. - .. Lo\·Jc: r SJ iJ;,;rn <:ih f?r.'g foni: 1 r·1 u1 m fri!J il rid · Dc~vc~lopi;cnt Crn1ii!riss"ion ·

P. O. Elox 8GO Ail~cn, Scit1tt1 Cr.1rnl"ina 29mJl

4~ /\lthou~i:1 tile· s·ite pr.:::sc:ntly c:njoys 91:.od isoli:il:ion, 1·ihkh ·is Ci.:~~;;c.d by its prn;d111lty. to tli:"~ /\EC S0.va:111cd1 River P1wit. the µossH···ility o"I' cr . .:;<:tt"inq a 101·:·-d·~nsi ty exc,1 us ion zone ai··ound ti1c: fac"i"l i ty throt•~h zn:!·ing 01· p1.1rch:•sc ·

·should be cor?sici:;1·rd.

5. Tlw cnviror1;.1::~11t.:1 l rcpcn·L: s ·Lc:i i.!:!S tl1:i. t \·l':s tcs 1:·i n be p rope rl y s to r>-~d, however, it clor~s not state Ii::\\·: mtich 1·.'<1st:: l'ri"l1 be f/Jc1ccd in s·cqrL19s Cl.ili1LF111y •.

Tlie qw:~stion of lio:·1 ~Jl'C<lt CllfP's stora9c: cu;ncity 1·rin D(•, mid hOi·i long H wi l1 take to c:chfovc thut capcH:"ity, shou1 d In:: consi c1!::?1 cd "in tenr:s or futurn expansion of the f acil ity.

A-54

3

* * * * .,..

He would rcqw~st that \·!hen the fi;1al stalem2nt is distributed, a copy be sent to our Hcsional /\dririnistrator, Mr. Ed..-1arcl 11. Baxter, Pcachtree­SevP.ntf"i Buil ditig, At1 an ta, Georgi a 30323.

Sincerely yours

tl:t://-{fi?c__ Charles J. 01-lebcke Deputy Und2r SC)tretary

',!"

~·· > ' .i•.'

APPENDIX C A-55

DEl-'Afrl l•il.:.f.!"1 CH /\Gl~!C:LJI I :IF<F.

Mr. Harol.d L. l'c~i.cc

Dir~ctor of KcculaLion

Of"f0

1Ll Llr ·r>J~ :-~.··r~:._1.··s~Y

~-·

ti. S. AtoL·ri.c En·c1·3y Co~·:~:i.s.sio11

Wn~1innton, D.C. 205~5

Dc:-:1 Nr. Price:

SEP 2 1970

ThiH is i'.1 re\spo;1:.:•'1 u. y0ur Jcn.c·:r of J1b.y 31, 1970, r.uqucstine Dcp.-:rt1:i.::1t o[ ,\[;r:i.Ci.•lturc <:u.~:1:C"i1t.s 011 t11r> cnv3.i70ntr!i::l1U:l ~t.?.tcl..-;r·:nt for the: in·opri!.c:: B.:-.·1·:·.1(:11 1:ud.r:::1· Fit."'J l'l •·ni·, f.J.lic:cl .. Gvlf. NuclC'nr Sc·rvicc·.s .

. 'Jb.~ SU:il.(:;1!('!,L li<ofl bCl!ll l'C'V:i . .::·.:·t'cl b) the rc:J.C!V;>.nt .:i.gcnC::i(•r. L1 tlir. De>pcn.l:·· r.•(.;Jlt: <in~l t.'.:: h::vc llic foll0,:·j11r, cc-. ::",·~11ts:

'J.[1c f.t""':l'i' r::ti01°"l Fo·.·c:~t :jr; lrH;•t.cc~ l•C·:··-· /:('; u.U.(:~< llt'1;'1.1.C·.'.';;·t (•[ li1<< p1c•p,,t,e,: pJ :·;1t:. ~!e: r'!.:i:e r:ot F.\·.';•.n .. uf <1ny 11<:jo:.: :i.tc1:;f< of c:o:1ce·,:H to 1:."'t~.C'l.1.'.'l }'(>l'C!;f /,<~,.,~_n).~:i l·t~ic..11 t.L:tt· \10;,•J.c: oc.e:t1·,· ,"'f. n n~~1·lt. of the C'C"•!·•:\:rl!cti0rr ;:::11'1 op;:!r.:t.fon of llw pJ.·.111t.

J.n r.:o:n1<:<"t)nn \']th ut:lJ.\ 11011· FcdC!i~;!l fo,:c:;t J.il'li.J 1>1"\.ll:,l:r:.• ccr.pon<cj!J:i.J.:i1·::.c·r; 'vi<: ..'.li:c p]c·:.~·,-.d to 1wl:c f.!':J.)' F:iJl c ... , .. Jc·~· :i].} 1ni:c·:·;:r.:·J r·· .. ·::f.L'l:c·0 ;\vrt:i.Jnhlc' to prcv~·,1>:. 0r .::brt.c- pc1J.l1.>tir·i1.o~ thr.•. C'lW_;·,·o•·'··:'.·i~:-.. To ;:.!;f;\1re th::r., lhC!y wiU. r.:0i:•.'1:.::• <'. CO:'l~l).'(!\tc·n~·:i\'t' E;P'":i.i (11";.' :,·,u:J. 1·10il:i.l.~JJ':ii•~; r;yi;tC!Pl tl:.·:t: w5.l l

,31"icJ.uGc c1!l~:c. J..·v;1.~ :iu~:~- c[ th<.~ c~~;:i.r:t·:~.nr: lc.v~l~ of 1-:-~cL~ . .-:-·r·ctivt:•. T:l·~·.tC!1;1.i.1ls fn the?. c:nvit·,,,·, . .;:;>11l nu.I C'.l:CJ)flu:!.c.:i.l s~.vc1;;r .. 1; to ch::.t:H:i.n;: 5.f: <•.ny b:i.oJ.of~:i.cl'.l.

c1::1n~:c-~: occ:1.n: <'.f: .;: H.:-;ult: of l l''.: .. ]r:\'L!J 1::·~1Jr;::i.r1;: C:.i·o~:11"r:,

Ott p~~~.:c· /./ c1 f L1H· s',!:)Prt fn sect :;.<"H G.?. ~l~.'~\'.~t'·•.:~:.'1 ~·~~~~::i ... ~.\·~·-~.!.-.~·,::_:_, \·:'· .. ~ b::J.ir··-.142. l.\1~ r'.'L''•i:t" l'\ .... .J.(l b::- ·:;t 1:('11::llicnr.'i if :i.I'. \',11•) i. c;.,!~;c;:LbC' he•\. n1clj.o:•.':i i.V(:

.soJ:i<1. ~:.1::-~·, (C'Cm,-.·;·o] rC'ld::;, d:i.~C'r::.<~·:d ].'i' •. 'Ci.:r;;; cc1n:ip;·:~·1J'.., etc.) \l(.1~•J.d Uc.· 1..l) ;. p~1 ~.: -~ 0.L to. l> ;..."L vc 1; 1: 1·: 1 t:.1 :~, n: c: t· ·;."'.' c ('C•. ~ i.: .;.~~ d.11c.1. f". "5.oi"i to ;;u 1,:-:. 1_i ?: .[ c cc. lav:l f.J',1<.!11r~~1<' i -~:· •·l :U '~ C:ir.pcif:r>J s:i t:c. The H!lK•i.t ~~.so s~·1: .tlcl pn°vic1c., l1~Cll:<-:: jr'lfoi1·~.- :::\.oJ·· rf.~~:-... ,1·.:~j::~:. th·~ loc~.t:t1·,~1· o( rl~<' Stc-t.~·:-ci;:u::~r1 p1-upcrty \·:hc!r(• st1 c· 1 1 sc .. ·· · \,;Q:1ld b:: cl:i.r.1.1(1r.(•d. .. \ .J .. '- «l· l.

S:i.n c '.'n:! J.y,

·-·r /;.,· ;/J · a • / /· •. ,, • I I/,//

I / /--:;; ·:··· "'"-~--·7:-/,j,,/ ',i.' • C' };'~ ':;';'r ,y I Co0·,~,~ :i.P ··: 0:: o:: . • . . . .. Envii.011 ::·;;L<~J. <y;·1- t:, 1 ,.ci1\'i.<-J "':.

r

r

~J

. ·'

APPENDIX D A-56

~' .•.

<"• ; I,• • ,;.

! .'. . - ·--:. ... '~·.. ..... . • t'

A~;~-.::~·0.1·~1 ~u_:i.:· .1 .. ~:.:':· (·i··· f'i .. !·:··i ·~-;;­

WN.:>H!rK:·· <.>.·!. f'. C .. :-'tY>:1i .,.-, ...... ;•_ ...

ti[ .0.L 'Ill l\"iD ENV1f\C1"'l'.~r Nl

M1·. Hni old. r,. l'r·:i ec Djrc:clol' 0f r.c.r,uJ.aU.on Atomic Enc·r~s Ct:01 ;1r1iif>td.on WC.I c.h :i nc:ton, D. C. ?.05l1 5

Dc~n· M:r. Pd ~·e:

2 SEP 1970

We h:1

v0 n~d.c'.·:cll U;c Envh:un1aci1'v<i.l Si..atc.·rn~:i1t pr<'J>iiJ'C'd by Allied··Gulf .NU<.:h!tc!' S<!l'Vice~; for the }~!..!rn\·:cl} i'JticJ(·u.1· Jo'uel :PJci.nL o.:::: rcquost<:.·d r·y yom· J.(;t;L.:>}' of Jul~· 31, J9'(0. Jn adcl:it"!c·n, we b:..1.vc .. :t"~ 1,i£:wcd Uw '-· · Snfcty Ann.J,>·~:it; Rq:0ort.. foi ti1e: R<ii'l1\1c:11 PJ ant "'o:r. the pm·11ose o:f ev, 1 lu:.~t:ir~c, pote111.:iu.J. acc::ir.lcnt. h:p:):.;1·. or. i.}1f' cuvji·om·:•:•j;i.,

J. Jrn;u<'J':i-~:i·epL infc,:··J.,1.i.t:ic.1', ii. :µn·~:cid.l·d \·!J(,/ii;·, tLC' 0-:...:·,i,·:;•;•-,!:·'., to !J~11:i:i:L c:vaJu:·t:io:, or cnvjrur."1'.'.'r~i':;] irnp'.1.ct, Est i.!•1(!~.-P.:l n.:riJ('-(jcti.v~-rclc•t:.~:ec r1.!1°.l CXJ.'o;·,11·e11 chu·j ric, r.or·-:.il C>JK:ratio1Jt; ~!llcl ::.r;c:I.c"!ro;;'.: cv; ·:'P.. ·:

:L:i.cti:; 11l:C'1t]rJ lie :rn.:r•n1LC'.d c-:1:r1 ;·c]:.i rJ tc1 the N:-':: lh<1~s l·,~ 1() C·;!~ ?O and 10 Ci·'H JOO. Tt is nolc :1_, ho·.::":·:·:·: t.lnd, '),j ~, j•:f'oi n1n.t.~_0;1 j<.

dcr:iv:::.~.ih· f'rcx~ t.h· ~:::1.f'ci .. y J\"!,,.;:i:n;5~· k:po~·t.., J\::J,Et.ion:·L!.y:· ,,jnr!c: iJ:C! r.~1·11\·f':]'I }'l~":l ~::it·: j~~ co1.l..:i:,1.1opf; ~-.)th i,.J,,-. 1\EG':: :_;e.vt.!.r•<.'11 River l'lai!t: it if: -CeJL tJ,·.1 i_. 1.hv }:nv:il·0!:t1,01.i .. "l f:(.:1.tc:r,;c·1Ji .. shc·:11 a or:\i::i;·ess the imp::t.ct of th-:i co;;:b:i:•;:."J ClJ"•c,,·nL5.r>r, of t,J-1.:;_:·.:: ',,;·10 f<ir·iJitj .. [:,

?.. Tlr.tn1J,,c] i>•fo!·!·.:.'drn! 3·ecc:.n1:in;:;, tl1E: euviroiuPcntaJ l.1cn:ito-,·5.n.ci; pro;·:··i.:;, i:; 1,r_,;_. cc•'.:t.::.:i!\<.!d \·::ith:i1: tho fi;u.tc:;·.1:-·n·:,. 'J'he spec:i.fjc:F.ction of s ::-1 ;},Jc typ• ~: ri;, · \·:; J 1 G.s t.Jw :i.J· fJ·c·cr,r• ·hey r-:-·1~ loc,1.t ion silonld be ir1<:'ln°:>c:(1 ir; the .. P,-;1·1j :r-cr·' ... ::-11~ ttl St",t.-:·i;·,cni_,

3. :-:ce;~:;.·:.i::[. Seci..ic:1! ?.?, jt :i.s l!Ot c]<:11:,· "l>:iH:.t Uic1 c:ooJ.it;g watm· t~irJ1~~1:,:ttu·c "-'il.1 1•E· <ct dir.:C'i11 1 q_;f· n:::i ho·.-: r:it1c::i. CC•C>~.:i.i;is is expe::-:tPd in the J>(ll:'l t··::fm·.;· TC!lc:,;:;-~ tu U1t:: J,C':.'Cl' 'l"lln:.:e nm .. r: Cre<?1;:. Although it i::: f'te;.J..cd tlH'.t. th<.;! tnr-pc·n:..tu1·~ \dlJ. 11o'l. oxc:c?>::d the: sl;c .. i,clard::; of Sout}1 Carol:lm· l\ .. 11Jn"l..io1!· C(-;1t._;tiJ ki:.J1c1dt;,·, t1J:is should br:- c=v&hui.teri, Alf:0, the r1L1~:.ntiti.fs of chii!:l:ir·o.lF l":G:.::L!:~s-?l'.f fol',:-boiler 1·m'c.cr t.rc,c.tir:er:t s!Joi.:JcJ be J.:i:-:r~·:l k1 dctc:·11:-.:i1;<' jf t.hc.::r.o~ 5.s .'.lli;Y p·~islbilH.y of' crcal.:be; a i,.-~.ter poJ ]1~':10: prtfr•lf;i;: •

G<.:l ~·:_.•. ,·. ]~:.· ... :• .. ·, }~ J"; r ·. . .!. '·": c-··. ~ . • · 1~' / ..

·!'!.

•1':J

'.j

,/

Mr. llnrold L. Price Director of Rcgulatf nn U .s. Atomic Energy Commission Wa9hington, D.C. 20545

Dcar:Mr. Prict':

APPENDIX E A·57

11tnnk you for yout· Jetter of July 31, 1970, to Mr. Roger Strc::low triln~:'mitti.113 tlil' ·Appl°ic:int's EnvironmC'ntol Report: for the B[',r!1\olcll Nucl.Nlr .Ft1C'] PL.lilt. These cor,:.;,1(•nts ·were rc·qucst.rc\ bnsecl on the Co1.~11i:s.sion.' s proccc1tires for 5.ml>l emc:nting the pi·ovisions of the ·Nntfon.11 1:nviYn11mc•11tnJ ·Policy Act of 1969.

Our I.111n-.:H; nf R:•<liolocicnl l!c~Jth 11.:i~: c.·w1ltptccl the, publi.c l1caLth .:.nd cnvit"<.Jil·n.:·nr;;J Ll~pC!cts of thi<. l..:1cili.t:y b.LlsccJ on the pn~l1.rn:i.na1·y d(~f:i.r,;1 lnfnrr1.1ti."11 conr.::iinc·d in the; S;:f..t·y Anr.Jys:i.s I't1'po1·t rnd t:h0 AppJic:wi:'s Enviro11:~1:~.nt:;i] I~cporl.

The• puhJ i.c Iw.1lth rcvl~·1·1 of this facility is enclosed. Our prfoc:i.p:il n.:co~::-'.:~·nd.:it·.io1\:;. rc.1.1t:c· to tl;0. disch.n:gc• of r'acli.:-iacti.vc material to the c1w i r.-.. :i:.1.-:11 t. Tht: Bm: m1c l 1 Nuc J c;w Fu·? 1 l'] a11t \;i 11 dl.schargc its r.:t~l~·.Jr.ctivc ,.,..,:si·cs to lltc ·snvann.:1'.1 River i·1hi.ch .:iJ.[;o receives radio··

··.ic. U.V(~ w.:1:;; t(' from the. AE::: S;nr;i~m.1h R:i.vi:>r l>l.:1nt m'id, in the. future, fi.·0111 the Oco::C'·:! t'~ucJ c.:ir Stati_r.n. Control .of: rad:i.or.ctivc war. te <li.1:>ch:-·rt\··s l«> th2. Snv.:1nn.1h Tiive:r from tlrc B.1::m·1ell :Nuclenr Ft1cl Plan!: shculc.l l.ncl;.;dc· c0n~.i<1.c:1·ntio1 oI tbc,;e ol'hc;· sourcef; of environmr.ntal r<:ic1i.02c!::i.vily. The 'gn;;cons i:nclio:>c:tivc wai;te from the Ili:n:nwell Nu.::k:.:r :Fuel Pl.1nt uil.J he clisch.:n·[:ccl in:.:o t·ho r:amc at1t1osph1~rc <:ts g.:i.st.:QW; r<'dl.•'.:t<.:ti.v(· \>'i'IGU: d:i.r;ch":-.1gcu fi.·01.1 tl1c Sav<rnn;-1:1 !U."cr Plant rcmil t"inr; i.ri ;"! cor·,b:innd eind.rornn2nl:nl f'ffcct. This ].nterc1clion shoula be:: u~cd i.n c·:;l«'!blisl1:i.nz ~;:i.s~ans i;;allio.'.!ctlvc wast:C!. dis:.:h.:irge Ii.mi.ts for the: Barm·!C: U Nucl t':ar ruc•J. l'lnnt.

We app:cciar:c Lh~ 01Jp0rt1.1rd.ty to comncnt on the cnvi.ronm:::nt<.11 iiilp.:ict of tlte prop·.1se<:. Bnn11.;l'.1.l Ntt.:lcar I:'ucl Pl<'lnt. W1wn the 0L:he1'. asency

_-) .. ,

-----------------..

------------ \,j ',• . . ' - ,'' -- . - ' ' - . - '' --1 I • I

! . -

\ .i

I ~:.

'·

• •

: on 1nue

1 · · - · _ - -on· · ·

i • - . I . •

.. : :::·.

'

N·. >:·

:t .;:·· •.: .• ... ··-· ~:

-,·._"

... .. .

·''-·'·····

Page 2 Mr. HaroluL. Price

comments arc compilecl, we would be most happy to receive them. If this Department can assist you further in this 1'11'."ltter, we would be happy to do so. ~-· // ,... . ) ' ,

Sinccre"iy .Yours,, _, ... -/ · / /<' ;·

.. ~ger o( Egeberg;' ~(~: ti~-.·. ~J:-. :( .·· .. Assfota'nt. Se.cret~ry,.,.

· · for Heµlth a.nd Sd.entitic Af:fai.rs· ~ \''; ,·.; ; .. ~· " ,,. .

Eilciclsure . ;, ~:'..

·~~· / .

''.'

.: ·.···

.... --·· ..

": ~'

" . . ~. •'':

",J

A-59

PUBLIC llEAI.TH RlWIEW

BARNWEU. NUCLEAR FUl::L PLANT

Aueust 1970

u.s. DEPArrn:ENT OF m:.<\Lrn, EDUCATION AND WELFAffE Public llcaltii Sctv:i.c:e

E11viron!;1cntal llc:1lth Servfc~ Bure-"lu of Rac.liologiC'.al l~"::J th

Divi:=don of E11vlro:H1\(·rat.:il R.1di.a~ic·n.

Nucl.::er Fc;cilitics Bra;1ch

I

. ·:·

~;~.

~ ..

A-60

'l'he objective of this report is i:o comply with the requirements placed on

Federal agencies by the National ~nvironrnental Policy Act for specific co . ,.~

m<::nts on the potential environmental effects 9! the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel

Plant (B.NFP) proposed for construction near Barnwell, South ,Carolina. Th

comments .:ire b.'.lsed on inforrn:i~ion provided by Allied-Gulf Nuclear Service

in the Safety Analysis Report (SA~), (1) including Addenda 1, 2, and 3, an

the "Appl 5.cCJ.n t' s F.nvi ronmen ta 1 R!'.'port." The l.n t ter was i-'repared by Allie

Gulf N11clcar Sc;:viccs in conforni:mcc with the Atomic Energy Conunission's.

requh:<'m<.>nts to ir-1plc•ncnt th0 Natio1rnl Environmental Policy Act of 1969.

In the tr.:idit:i0n:-:l rolP of the P11hlir:- lil':tlth Scn.ric.c nn r:incilJ.r,ry objectL

of thi::: l"<'[K>r:t is to provi<lc infonn'ltion to thC! South Cnr<•lina St·ate Eoar

of Health for use in dcvclopin~ th~ir ra<lioloBical health program rclativ

to this nuclear facility.

r<idi.:ition dose:; to the public. F.xi·cn&ive uzc w=is rtlno rn"l.dc jn this c·Ja}.u

tiol" o[ data rq·ort~d by the New York Stcitc Hc·pa·i·t111<:!11t o{ l~c:::lth, (5,6, 7)

· .. Fec,l Services, Inc, _(iffS), West· V.:;,1lc:y., lfo\.;r Yc.rk •

Our i:TC>cifi.c rec:o.1r.,,:,::;,d.:.t:ions ar.(. as follow~;:

.:-:. -- -- ..

2 A-61

SUT.VE"ill<tnce pt·ozrams tl1rough information exchange <ind cross check S<&1i1plint;,

The South Carql it~a Board of Heal th should initiate.: and develop thciJc I

cooperative efforts placing special cmphns:i.s on the multiple source conc.:e:pt,

includinG liquid waste dischm:ge from the Oconee Nuclt:: .. ..r Stat:i.on which is . ,.

located upr.trc.:im from the P.arm.'cll Nuclcrir FUL~l Plant •.

2. Since edible crops arc groWfl near Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant and the

Sav~nnah River Plaut,·but the types arc not defined in the Safety Analysis

_Report. the State should_ i_nVC!Stigate agricult:nr;1l crop production in terms :c

of possible p~pulati.on rndHtt"ion cxpo!:1~rc, , .. ~\

3. Atmospheric- 311 conccntl:dtion!' :::liol\1d be moni ton:d to dctc:n•linc popul<1t·i.c•a

radiation dose levels.

facility is low, Iodi.nc·--131 wjJl proli.?li~_Y be tlw lirni.ti.n;· ~·"'~:cc.u:; di~-

1.·.

smnI l 1Willh('l" of milk conf.t'1ni::·rs. ·

sc.:liccTu1'! .:-mcl. of ,.;atcr taps SllpJ'"J lc~d by the: )ic;iufor~·-J:-:r.p;·r w.:~t:cr Autl1or.ity

al: p!"C' . .::..:.:nt: ]cv(·1~: rn1til plm1l s1·;1rtup. Aftci: p]«nt f;t.::irtu:>, d~ily cnnpositC'

syf'tt::m.

6. At plant t;t;;rtup, cnv:i.ron111':·11l:-] 85Kr c011c.cnt•~aticms should be r.-.r,a.sured

i,.

·3 A-62

7. TI;e mulLlple sou-.:c~ concept shoulC: be employed when determinin;; ..,•;is ti

discharge dilution factors for this facility. The close proximity of th1

Savannah River Plant (SRP) will have a definite influence on average ann 1

atmospheric .dilution. Both the Oconee Nuclear Station and. the SRP disch; . , ...

radioactive liquid waste to i.:ha Savannah River. Since maximum pctmissib:

concc11tra tions are to be app.lietl above natural background levels, and no.1

above existing levels, it is imperative thcit the liquid waste disch_a.rge:

from air th.rec plants he considered as a total Savannah River burden.

8. Iodfoe scrubbers and adso1·bcrs should be operc:ited at all times duriri~;

gaseous waste disch~rge bec,qusc of the 129r discharge.

9. The applicant has st,qted h(s intt.!ntion n ••• to employ all practicable

v1e:<'.l::>url'~ avai.lnblc to prcv0n:: or ah;:itc: r>olltiti.on of the envi1or.::1cnt" in

the "Appli.cant:'s triviron!ilcntaJ Rcpc·:.:t." In the e.Jrl:ier S.:if:?.ty Annlysi.c.

Re;port, hot-l'C'Tcr, rcfcrcnc:c is made several times te> the fact t11at

disch•irgcs wil 1 be rr·Jn L torc'd ancl control lccl to m.=.intc:iin c,iwironmenta 1

conccntrciUons below 11 of'c third }fPC (10CPI!:?O.JC6).'' The· most recc1!t ~ -·· .

commitn:"nt is the r:1Qrc appropri.atc one all'.1 will, v·c trust, gtliclc· the

applic~nt's actions.

·IC. 11H:: BUi:,c3ll h<.is ti_-'en condo .. ting ffrld s1:ulli.cs on th::! dischar.g0.5 of l«:.

acti·.-c Pntc~Lil to th,., E:>nviroru.;(:nt at tli~ F r:lcar Fuel Services, ~nc. fue

repr.ncessin.::, pJ..:mt loc.:ited in Cn l t.:inn1:-us \.:ounty, Ne\,' York, whi.d1 has 0nc!

the radi.oaclive g.:is(·.t:l\~s cJisclwr~e CO!'.t:r.ibutc<: sigr~:i.fic.:::itly less lo thi;

populat:i.0n c:-:posurc· th;rn liquid waste disckn:ge. Gaseous Paste di::;charg~

.•

.-;·,--,"·'I ,.-_'. ~'."·. ··;.· ..... ·- - .: ·.: -. , ~ .

A-63 4

are p"J;imarily 85

Kr aud largely a w"rldwide problem with little siguificanc~ '.

in terms of population dose observed at the local level. Liquid waste

discharge to Cattaraugus Creek is the critical exposure pathway, i.e.

the first step in the water-fish and decr-mnn pathway. Therefore, an ,.,. intensified effort shou,1.d be directed to minimi?.ing or climiuatin~ liquid

was.te discharge, The technology to accomplish this reduction is apparently

available as evidenced by the General F.lcctric report on the Midwest Fuel

Reprocessing Plant in Illinoi.s which statef: that no liquid radioactive

waste will be dischnrgcd to the envh:orn,i.:.nt. If such tE::chnology is

avaih:hlc, i.t should be employed in the Barnwell plant.

SITE SUITABILI'.fY

.Fr<.1m the st:1n<lpoint of disc:l1.1rgc of r.;dh1;·.ctivc W•istc, a11d th.:! sul'·scquC!nt

effects of this di~ch<1rgc on the IJllblic health and the. E:•1vironm.:;'1t, the

site locatior~ app0.:irs ad;ni.r<ibJy suited. The B.1rnwc:J.J. Nttclc;ir Fuel PL'?ul

.sJte is ~c·nt:i.~uoltS wi.th thn S.:iv.:m;rnlt Rivc:r Plrmt opc1-;tccJ by DuPont.:

for ·t11c AEC. 'l'lli ~; loc.:i ti c>n is aclvo.m t.atcous whc-n c:ons irlt!i."~1 t ion of

popuiation dc.m~ity i:s m.:idc r.inc.:c t11crc is no popuJ<1tion over a widt! sector ·"·.i-

excl·.F.ion ~:<.1J.i.u~~ f.:H: tlw site <1ppr::10: quite> .st1itahle, Mi!t:cotoJo~icr:l

concHt.;.ons <n:c: f:ivc1rnhlc ch.:il·•1c:ti:·ri:~~d l>y well b.:'l .. 1ncecl se<'son:il wind roses,

The close proxi1;;ity c[ the ~:J~P's rcnctors m1cl fud recovery plunt:s requires

tlwt the muJti.p!c source! concct>L h.:! utilix<.!d wi~cn consid<::!-cing envir0nm0ntal

(1i.lutioa c.:ip:; 1::itjcs. Well w<.t.e1; :i.s m:c:d f1..>'r hrn:~an consumpt:i.o;·, ~t so111c

loc<1tim1s close to the site, Tile <1pp15c::int ·list~: as users of su:-facc;

I I

,.,

' jf:.

'"'.f

t·:.

l ~! ·. ~::· ~:-~;:.

.'<.' ~· 'l": < -.:: ,, , " .

I ;

' " i(~ ~~··. 1·,t: i. .::..~ ·,

i'i .,,. f.>

;,':: ! ·.~

A-6'~ I

. wa.ters: (1) The Beaufort'-Jaape>r Water Authority takes water from the.

Savannah River ;ibout 90 miles downstream to· ~upply sanitary 'water to m~s . ~~

of Beaufort County, South Cdrolintt and (2) Savannah, Georgia supplements·

its domestic 1-:ell water supply with water· from Savannah River abovt 100 .···

miles downscrcam doring periods of peak demand. The total· radioactivity·:

conccn.tration at these water treatment plants from all. sources should ·be''

considered in es cablishing this facility's liquid wa~t:e dischr~rge limit.

W:'.S'.I:'E DISCll1'JtGE::l

Gaseous ------

The Bi.~'P will havc 6 tor.nc/day dissolution capa.ci.ty ancl will release abo1

7 5 1 000 Ci/d'iy o[ 85i<r. from a 100 mo::ter stack l-1hcn fuel wj th a riorn:i.nal

l/0,000 HWD/T Lurnup is procesr,ed. On the basii:; of our field stud:i.cs at I (

"Nr'S plant in N<:\·! York this discharge wil 1 not result in local environment

buildup or sieni.ficant ex:pN;ure to ti1c population. (4) The c:ppl:ic.nr1t has·

ca1cu1ated th~ 85i~r dose to an in<lividual stnndinz on th~ site boundary ...

for one year to be api-iroxi.mately l10 Mrad •.

The dischm'g~ ,of, 8S1;r is an irrcv..;rsible commitmcmt to the environment a:

must be tr~utcd e.s su~h. It is real izc<l that there wiJ 1 sonn be a larg'3

increase in the q1.lantity of fuel to be .reprocessed at corrnncrcial fac:i.lit:

which wil 1 require large cnp:i. ta 1 in•ms tr.um ts. Corr.panies invcs ting ~argc .

sum<;; in reprocl'!ssin2 pl3uts 5houlci .also be prepared to com:11it ac:1clitional

funds to an c:.:p£"n.:;ivc re~::·~rd1 and dcvelopm.:::r.t 0

cf fort to collect :md sto:

:·,,-·;

.\··,

··;·_"> ,,.:.. ·, .. ·.,·.

6

the 85Kr t.o reduce the lt:v~l tc.; its lowest practical lCVt;!l. Thus. i.t -·'

eppcars the teclmologi.cal dc·.;cJ oprr.cnt of l~rypton removal techniques •.\

should be undertaken by both .i.ndustry and govcrmn.:;nt organizations with

fac.ilitics and personnel presently oriEntcd in the nuclear field~ such ;:, , .... ·as a national laboratory of the AEC. The 'com,nitment should be t:llldc now so··

the dc~clopcd technology can b<> incorporated ~~t·o future reprocessing plant

at ~n early tim~.

Triti.um dischaq~cs into the atmot.pherc will'alsob" large, but again, will

proli:.1bly riot rcr-;u] t" in a lo..:n1 c:m.T:iron111r·ntal _ b11iJ dup. ~he appl,icnnt ha~

esti.mfl.tc·d the yearly discl1.'.lrgc of 3ll _will be: fo:ios Ci. This is another

irr~v<'.r!;iblc com:r.Jtm0nt to _the_ C'1wironi;10nt .?.n1: slwuld be con!:dckred i11 the.'

'fhc appli.cnnt's iodine cH::;ch.:iq,;c cst:i1i'iatcs arc <>pparcntJy litoi::_ti.ni:; 11.JSC'cl ori'

!o'ltC r,uichnc'c.(10) The muJU.pJC' BOUrC'~ conccnl: \.t;JS used in c<11C:L1lt1ti11g off~' ' -

i::il'f" ~nnr·.~ntT.1f·inq~: of 13Jr fn t·dl!r. !:i?'!FP \·'i,Jl ·CC'~~tr:!'~~:t:C' :n~~ of FP.C

g;.1ichn<'.C of 100 pCi./l m:Uk (or 27 pCi/l mill~). 'l'hc c<;Jc.ulnticms were 1J.Jscd.

atm·,~pl;e:ric di.htti.on, .. and the 700 ratio, pCi 1311/1 milk to pCi 13lr/m3 air:

D.:'.!:n r·cnortc·d f•·o.n NF:; f:urvc::i:l J <111c:c('.>) hi.li.ca-t c no detcct:i.hlc 1311 in milk . 4 , r

L.<,r.l q1.-! p1:::nt. This \-1;1f.. c:·:p,'rf·c·cl, hr>t·:,vc·r, since• r.1u:.t fu~l rC'procC';:;s!~ct ) _'_i

at NFS hnf;, bc!('li c001 c:d over oiw ;: ... :n··. It is r0com:-,1enc1c<l th~L al 1 iodiuc

to rcmovl' 129-r. Fuc) cooJ.:-c1 fo1· 2 s 1.1ffi.c5cntly lcmg p•·riotl coutains no

f -:~

A-66

lo~ie-livect 1291 is ncglieible .?.nd ·i-ntcrpretation of prclimina.ry inforu.c

tion on 12

91 in environment~l media around NFs(ll) indicates a pos~ib~1

buildup of 129r at the local level.

,.,. The applica'1t' s estimates indicate: no problem with the discharge of

particulate matter, Data from 1-iFS surveillance studies confirm this

finding. (12) The plant will be supplied with rcilunda.1t HEPA filters .

. Liquid

IP.. the "Applicant's EnvironmC'ntnl Rcpo1·t, 11 the statement is I!kt.de, "Norr1

liquid effluent rcle::ased to the Lo\-1er Three· Runs Creel~ will be well waL

-which hds been used only for coolinz and will not contain radioactive

materials_ nor haznrdous c·hc~n1icals. 11 Considcrnblc d)scu~sion in tl.c SAR

clc\'otcd to the discharg~ of low-level n1cliocictivl~ \.:astc • pri1.1<-.ri'ly tl1e.

c0ndem~.:itc frcim the Gc01cral Purpose Evnporntc1r, (GPE) and the:. resulting

con.: en Lra ti ons i11 J,uwcr Tlirec Rtm s Cn:c· k. p,,,c,.,u ~:c: of thi.f: inconsis tenc

i.t \-:r.1s n'J!. p0GziLlc to asF:u:;1c tliccc \·.•onlcl br: uo lirruirl wast€! cHf:char.gc:

an C-J.'.llu.-:it 5.on of the sysl<!u1 and '\·:•:s~c n1;:n<igh1:Cc11!:. pracU.rC;S, as describe

in. the Si\R, W<!S r.;.1de •·

Servir;c•s pl.:inl h~vc·. b.::e:n lowei' tha.n pre:tlic.:l:ed nnd 3n Cc•nccntrati.ons i.n

acc:o~mt fci;- m:..st of thr: Ji; thr:or.::tit.:i.J ly p1·f~f.(~nl in_ tiw spC!nt fue:l procr

at Nt:cl ca::- Fu~l Se:rvic.:es. Tnis fact then r.::iscs the q·,;:_:stion of how \-!e

the ~'ll chc:1:•i.sL1"j is m~den t;r,0c! in (hG fi.wl recovery prr=c.::ss. fklati.vel:

··.·~

.. ~- ·.

8 ~-67

A dcf~njtion of the locatlon at: which 10Cl'R20 concentration Hmitf> will

be applied is requii~d. the applicant apparc~1tly consid~rs the point to

be at ~he restricted boundary of BNfP property. llO\·lC!VCr. the stream flows.

through SRP propert'.)' 'to the Savannah River which also could be defined as . ' .. ··

the dischnrge point, -:•.

No discussion was present·ed conccrn.inB levels of radioactivity in the cask

water and the ,cask and clc.ni.:.·n t w.:tshtlo\m water causc-d by fuel elements whose

inter.;rity hns Leen brc<!chcd, Since thjs w.i.tcr is ~ollcctE:'d in the: Gcner.:il.

Purpo.sf! Evap.c1;·.:;.tbr. ancl. th12 conclc11sat0 cli.cchargc~ iii to the: liquid w.:t~tc stfc<>.m, :.::

signiG.cnrit amatmt.s of, radi.o,:ictivity cou] d 9c~ prC'S(·nt in the cli.sclia!·r,c·

ntre<'.lm, depending 01~ ('V<"1p,11ator. cff:i.<:ic:ncy.

The £'.vnpor.1t:.>:: c.:ffici.cncy is <"tpparc'.nt:ly unclPr ·study ronc1 tlit'. applic:>nt in-

te\1ds tCl \lSC tl1c most' ,1clv.:t11c:<•<l tt?cJJllo]ogy \·:hcn opt:r<.•.t:i.on bc'.gins iliHl wj_"Jl

considC"r the u~;e of ion cxcl1.;n,~c· on Jow-lcvcl cffltH.'nls, :lf lo~-1-lc•vcl \!CJ.Ste

· _dh;ch•1rg~:-: cxcc0d on,, third of lOCfl:?0.106 Ii.mi.ts in the cr1.:ek. Hof;t of

the low· level ) jqt:id ~C'.ti.vfty .lt Nuclear F11cl Scrviceg wns c.ilrryo-.•cr frum

i',"

'··

;·· ! ~1

addition, th,-. Sc1t1 th C:!rolina J;o;ird cf }]c~;i. lth concluc i·~; a stn·vcillnnc·c progrc-,m

,. .

~·· k "

9 A-68

an envircnmcntal monitoring procrnm beginning in late 1970 in the

11Applir.:ant' s Environmcn1:.:!.l Report," howevc=, no specific ,survcil 1.::ncc. pro-··

gra~u is pres~nted other than the routine monitoring of wells for Bround

weo.te:r. leakage.

E.}1ERGENCY PLANNING

Public heal th programs involving tl1c nuclear power industry must provide

for protective nction pla11s fo1~ i..mcontrolled releases of radioactivity

"1hcthcr fi·om a sT:<rll incident or a m.).jor «ccidcnt, Failure ti:> develop

adcqu:itc piar1s could rest1lt iri uni:s.ccc.ssnry risk to the' public •. The

ciprilic-<:ut states thc:>y arc dcvc1oping an en).2rg('.ncy pl.'.l.n in cooperation with,·

SRP, · The: fitntc to:1rd·of ncnlth f:houl-:l p;irtici1;:ttP. witl; BNFP and SRP in

dCVt:'.J.Opi.ng pl.ans for prot:cctivc ;i('t·ion. 1t is f.llf~f.~Stc·d lhat cooperative

C:1g1·cc!11(:nts ar.1ong tlic three interested pr1rti~s be re:ichcu and tli<tt all such

the Stal~~ 1a'1y m.:ikc· :i,~s pCld.t;ion kuown ·to tl1e pu'..>lic at th.Jt tiiM~.

PROJECT 91' ,q]z/ (fJ !U --- P ~/, . .

07FICEl~:LJ~2.!d:.t_!:1l~-~{:( . .-··t:-JJl1,1>:t.1 lW\IEO:.\_:_,~-~~-__ '/~~~~-1. Garry'E\.)'tigi11JO C. L. Wc.~vcr, Director ·

~ DiviGion of Environmental : Rad ia t: icin

. ·-- .. :

,.•"'

A·-69

References -------

1. Allied-Gulf Nuclear Services (c/o Allied.Chemical Nucleai Products, Inc.) Safety Analysis Report -".' Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant, Volumes l and ·2.

2. "Nuclea·I- Power Plant ~·pent FuC!l Reprocessing Report," U.S. Depart­ment of Health, Education, and t.'clfa~c,- Public Health.SE>rvice, »ureau of Radiological Heal th, Divisim) of Environmental Radiation, Nuclear Facilities Br~nch, Fcb1·uary 1970.

3. "Guide for Environm~ntal Suni'cillan.::e: Around Nuclear F·acilities," U.S. Depart:ment of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public H ... alth Sc_rvic0, Bureau of Rndiological Health, Division of Et).v_ironmental Radiation, Nuclear Facilit~c~ Branch, February 1~70 •. :

4. Shlcicn, B., ''An F.stin1;1Lc of RadiaLio1f Doses Receiv0d by Individual:'.: Living. in th(· Vicinity of a tfoclenr F1.1~1 Rcproces~in~ Plant in 1968," U.S. Dcp.a-rtmcnt of He:iJth, Education and Wclf .. ~i.re, Public Health Service, Burcnu of Ra<liolo~icnl Health, Northeastern Radiological lic.:il th Labora·tory, Wi.nchestc1·, l-~assacbJsett s > BRH/NERHL 70-1, May 1970. . -

5. Ke l lehC' r, W •• T., "Envi ronri:cn tr. l Surveillance Ar0und a Nuc lcar F'ucl Rcproccs~i.nc Instal lati.on, 1965-1967 , 11 Radiological Health D<tta and Reports, Vbl, 10, Mo, 8, 329-339, August 1969,

6. IJ~ly, J.C., et.al., "Tritiatccl ~foistur.c in th<? Atmo!;pherc Stll"roun- -ding a Nt1clcnr Fuel Rl!proce:ssing Plant," f..<]d);_C!_!_?_gical llcal_thJ?£.l.?. ±'_~'i__Rc1:i._~1.:_l,~ .• Vol. 9~ N0. 7, 341-3=':6, Jt•ly 1968,

7. Sa:", N~.·I., ct, c=.l, "RadioC'coic;gfral Surve·111auc':! of the Waterways Around n Nucl(!C:r.Fucls Rcprvcc·ssing Pinnt," _lta~.iol£gic~J llc.::.1!:~ ~'lt.~-~~)~SE£.1:~.~.' Vol_. 10, No. 7, 289-296, July 1969.

B. "Envirarn~:·~ntal Measurements Around the Nucle<'lr Services Incorpora­t:cC.:: Fud Rcprocc:>shi£ Plant - Wczt: V.:.lJ ey, ?fou Yo!"k .. (dates)," IndepL!n<l..-~~it :Measurements Progr<•m, Division o( Compliance, U. S, Atc.mic Energy Com;niss icn, four r.~po!'ti:: covering period to Ja.n1ary 1, 1969.

9. Fo1-:ler, 1',W. and Voit, D.E.", "A Rcvie;.~ of the Rntliological and Envirorirn::-ntal 11.spccts of Krypton-SS," U.S. D'·partment of He:alt.1:

1

Edc:c:.::tion and Wclfar.;, PubUc Hc;i.lth Scrv:i_ce, Bureau o,f Radio­lotical lfoalt'h, Division of Environment~! Racl:iation, Nuclear 1''Aci litics Branch, Scptc1;.b~r ~ 969 (l~e\1 6/70).

'«

.......

·Y

.'' ,• : I .. , . :

~1?:: . ~·. ~·'.!~ :

rt2i .. [(:",,.,

rr; ;1:i Ffir

~i;ll ;

' . . . . .

' I I

I ~a l~i [;.J

~

1 : It-h· .i

i; ~

'" ·~

ti

,.,, .;;;· t F·

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' -f·. i'!: ~.:.•'.

F. t r: #:

.l'.·

,.

•· ;~~

;:.

r1· ...

Re!e~ences rcoq't) · A-70

10. Federal Radiation Council Report· #2

11. Russell, J.L. and Hdm, .i?.B., "Public 1:2alth Aspects of 129r fro•11 the Nuclear Power Industry/' to be prcsc-nted at Heal th Physics Midyear Syri1posiu1:i., ldp.ho Falls, NovernLc~r 1970,

.12. Cochrai::, J.A., ~t. al., "An Iuvt>st.igation.of Gaseous Effluents from a Nuclec.•r Fw~l·RL'processing Plard:," U.S. Department of Health, Education, and WclfRre, Public Hcclth Service, Bureau of Radiological Hea.1..th, NorLhcastC'!rn Radiologicnl Haul th Laboratory, Winchcst:ei:, Massachusc t ts, BRil/NERHL 70-3, at thr. pr inter. ·

13. Magno, P, and R~avcy 1'., "Liquid ,r,t.:istc Effluents from a Nuc l car FuE!l Reproccssin13 Plctnt,i• U.S, Department of llc:aJ th, Educ1tion, ancl \fol.fare, Public llcnlLh Service!, Bureau of Rac1io1or;:ical llr·.1Jth, Noi·thcn.st:crn Radiologk<1l H.:~.:tlth r.r~bon•tory, W:i.nd1C'Sl:c:r, }l.ii::snchu:-;el:ts, B!UI/NU .. TJL 70-2, at the pri.ntcr. ·.

r

1-\; L--------:--------'--'---------~--JL . i•

~··.

. 1

:

De a r 1\1 r . Joh n son :

APPENDIX F

(iJ.'Fici:. r)j-" ·1111: .'->i·:<:l·:LJ..\i~Y \\'t\Si JJ:,t;·n 1:.;, J >.C.:. '.'O!·lll

Scpte:·nbcr 29, 1970

~-...

A-71

This is .in rc~spons.c to your request of MCJ.y 20,. 1970, for comn1cnt~: of the Dc:partment of tl)c Interior on the draft Envirdnmcntal Report on.the Han1wc.ll Nudeiil·''.Fucl Plant.

We a1·c somcv:hat disa11f>c>fr1tcd that inforrn;11ibn.prcviously ~, developed by thc,_U. S. Geological Survey is not adequately reflected in th~ drilfl. Also, aclclitio1'1al c1nphasif: needs to be placed on better coonlin<Llion wi1.l1 vC1rio.ur-;· gc.vcrnn1e11tc1l cigenci::-i; nncl qu:tJificcl pcr.so:111c1 on snbjc:cts .such a.s hc<1t clispos~l, ccolo­g ic. a 1 con~ i cl era t.i <Hif;, n-ion it u l'i11g pro gri-1 n1 s <.i nrl g rounchva I e ) ... protc..c:l ion .

. Our cl et ai 1 eel, ('.(lll llll L:ll1. ~ a TC' c·n clo sr:d.

Mr. J .yall Jolin s0n

Al-ting Di '·cc tor

Divi~>ion o~ i'.-lalc'rial~ Lice.rising U. B . .r'\t op·d (: En(· rgy Corn1ni :·•:.:ion Vlafihi.ngion, D. C. ?.05-".·5

Enclosure

Sincerely yours,

'· .· ,,,··., 'Jo1rn n. Ql1C.1rlc.s, Jr. Assii:t<•.nt tc. 1l1c Secret.:i1:y

·fo1· Policy Planning ;~nt~ Hcscai-cr

'.•.

;,

LICEnsrnr, J\GE:·!CIES

I A-72 . . I

c~:wr.nm:n COMt1ENTS OF T~:E U.S. DEPARTf-iErff OF THE n!TERIOR

on the

Section j.~ cf the re~ort discusses licensin9 by State ap~ncics.

Licenses fer potriU~ witer supp1,y ar~ issu~d by thi:: Sruth Carolina

St.1t~ Sottrd of Health as are licm1scs for srMnr!~ trcatr1::nt if sr~rtic

t.:inl:s Rrtd disros<il fi~lds ar;; utilizl;)r1. If othC-r t~'::i"!s·of sc-·~·:n9(~

treatr,i~~t r:re used, !ic~·rey2r, t!~c- Soqth Carnlir.:J ?ol lt:tion C,_,:itrol

active \i(;::;tc•s.

---- -··----- --·--·- -

not. y~t be~en ~!'."prov~d by th-? S~cret;i ry of tiP Int~rior, it is prer,1ature

standards, or t:1<1t {ll~c;>-t.hrous!1 cnel j 113 \·:i 11 tie suffi ci (;.·rt. tc r.:::':

n-·r "=-"i~) ~ncl ;- . ..t • ... l.• ' 1:.t

I I .

. I

I

~-- -··- .· •'

\

·,.l

A-73

throu9h the cooling rond for critical ~tt~orolo~ic~l con~itions (hoth

. SU!iTier and \·tint?r) shrwlrl b~ pr.=i'!nted~ ~Tso cooling PMrl <~i-::cha.rges , .. and tempera-tu i'eS an ti ci pated as til~.v r~ late to .::tcrea :;e and rr.i n i r:1um

streaw. ffr\· 1s, ar.d tho. distance cm·.nstrear, t!u•t will be affected by

the heat discharge.

_THE~~/11 - ECQ_LOmJ~".l

T:-te assertion un page 2:? that 110°F is Lot~1 h~r;;:lr.ss to lcca1 aqu'1tic

life :rnd pror·m~es grc.~:th is COi:trary to our expr!rier1ce. Or:ga.!1isr,;::; that

can succ:essf'ull~: ;:_:.xi st for 2xt··:nci2ri ;!Griods of the in 1:i'tcr ·of t!Jis

Carolin~ .

. drnractz-ristics, !')rincipril phrts, fish, an-:.' r•thf'r·il.riir.::-ils, und hrn·! the

Inforr·,a.ti.:in shc1ulc: bF.: given on f)('SSitrl~ detri1'.1.:r:t.'.':l c~ffocts on fish ar.c1 , ' ~-:ildlife. irv•:'!st.i'Jc:tinn<:: pl~rir•='d fir ta!:in~ ohcG to d~tc1:..T'1inC!· effects~

r :~ioc·id~s, :"! r·ntcntia1 t 111··::ot tc- th:: an.u.1tic ~·nvircr.111.~nt, .~r~ not !r.(·rn-

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The planning and execution of the studies should be coordinated ~·ith

the concerned Stf'ltt:' .:me! Fed:~rul fish and 11ildlifo agencies and provit1e

for the rc~Ju1er distributll'ln of rc·St.:ilrd; Pro9r···ss rcr:·orts to intensted

c:pnli2s to ric!uatic r:i.c'ioldn1rigy, tlir:rP?.l, clii-:11ic=-l ,. r.r;e'. ot:~er impr.cts

of t:H~ prc:::p-iln'.. S~t'Cifi c i nfr·ri·•1;1tfrn shaul 8 be rirc·vi dr: =~ oi~ the !)rop0s2d

~-c,r:TT'.)!-1] ::r. - tLTF!:1 ~r,·:·1 '.'E f~;:~1 S!.i?~Lf!'~i;TFPY C')' iTf>ClLS -- -- -·-- -·-- ·--· .... ·-~ ........ -- ·- ---~·····- -- --~ ·-- ·-·-·-· -·-··---·--·- -·------ .. ---

., .. ;, ...

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A-75

as to 1'1dditiona1 ir.::isures \·1hich could bF! tal:en if the n:cnit0rinn

!)ronrarn c:ii s cl os.P.s unanti c:-atr::d 3dV'=>r:;0 r·mvi rr.nr.it~nta 1 0ffects, such

~s, for exa~~le, ·t2~perat~tes in ~xc~ss of standard~, or excess

dra\·1dm·rr. in the Tuscaloosa aquifer ..

Jn connection with the monitoring for radiation in the cooling water

StreilmS, t·Je SU<}{!".!St that the r3dfotio?1 alci.rL1~ 1 hi']i"! Volt:~ be SC·t for

a 10\·!er VCJlu:•, suci-1 as 5Xl'r·6, r:~sultin;; ir: :i.!'!l1c:: r.1r:ir0 s:~nsitiv:::! lea:,·

clt:.tr:ctnr.

r.fiQI~L()('iIC/\L ctij·:s1r.~1~trio:~s - G~-.:)! 1 :·:~·!.r·.TEl~· ---·-··---- - --- ·--·-------·-~·----·-·----· ... ·---·-·---·----

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A-76

confi nee aquifer because of thP- lm\I permcat i 1 ity of the mnteri a 1

separ~tfog th~ t\·1c, an<l b~causr: of the mod~ratE~ prt:'ss·u~e in tile

. confined i:.quifP.r. This in'n-rpr"?t.ati6n is contradicted by the infor-

mation qb~ai~~d by Siple (1~~7). . '··;.,, ''·1

The qua'ritit~ es anr' ty~ns of radionucl i r.'~s ~·thi cli could h? released at . :

th!'.' site and possibly co11ld nii;r?.te to the! ~rrund;·:ater reservoir

should l1f~ ic(·ntHifd in th.2 r~r.virrn:;·;eri~al '.;tflt.~1 1 :.~nt e:rn2-· U:~ir ~nticipatt;d·.,'

conc~nt.r:.itions in. u11rf.strictl.'d ilr:-~c;s evalur<.t~d.

. . C'~t~ils of the propo"s 1.:(l 1~~our·,dinr!,' c.Jitchin=J, ?nd r2it:it1ri tc· r.;ini; .. ~ize

To. "ss·c~ '..>. • H,"' ~1~.·,1·rirh·:;ofr.r tr:iv···l "'' ':" ~· ... .... ~' .. . ....... -.... "' • ... r1ossible

r_.f, r·~ !1'··· 1 irl1'-1,,~ :-,{· ~-·.~ -1 · ,~- t" 11 11•·6s'1..·r·1'c 1 ·~ •• • .'11··1~,'f.<; ;i' t.r:it~·r-~~1·1r.· r:·~:i) •.•.l: f 1 1L,,.,~ ~.•l,' ... 1 t.·, .... r, ... !.,, tlJ1\,• -'-'<.A 1._ 1,,.. • ,. J . '"'• """· C, ••.•. "-.A ..... ,...

" ('f th-:! s!i.:i.1lol':ost ::i.c:idfrr~ D•JS~~'' on 1.:·r:1·.:·;l"·-l<:.:v-"'l i:!r:~stw~<~.:nts, should . . .

b~: [Jl''OVi dc·il. Th r· r~;ir.1 shr•L1 lr: :~rrcr.: ... p ~~:'s Jr. o n'.!a 1.::. r·ji.~ :::nri1qh to evu l ua te

!_·.J.1 ;· '.'· 0". <.. 1° n,' .• l0 1, 1° ~:.\ .. / r,7 ,,,. c- t•··:· '~rl .,.,)".,. ''"'1"1 !- r.·f fl r~L'~ C.•·;;'\·c' '• l" 4L ( ,_,-, r··! ~· 11'·" - ..,.._, l \' ···"•' ~ .,4 .... '• ••. ~ ·- "' "'·' :.• l,~ ' ••. t. -t.. l\1(_.. ·-· ,,, ••

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A-77

shal1m·1est v:iltcr-table, using th~ porosity vc.hir!S in the com!)utations,

and the hydraulic gr:~die>nts fror" t:v:~ rcvisr-!d \:ater-t.:i~:.le ~ap. 'I[ ...

Jl.ddi t ior.a 1 i nfor:::at ion is nr~rl~cl on anti ci pa t<:"d 1 r:ac!1in;i 7rr.n v-wit,us

sources, ccincentr<ltfons of radionudic!cs anticinat::rl ;:Jt fre· site:

t.ounclarfos, .and spt-cifi c r;~~s11r~s ·;1hi d: cnul d t·2 trJ.l:•:::n if grou!1d"-1at~r

r:ove:;icnt. of r-:!dionucl i rc~s is c'c:>t.~ctcd.

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t ....... f· . • ... . C .... ,·.~· -, ·i ,,., I. I • ... i:i I I •

. !

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... particulates and.resultant f~11out.

':le ro.corarend thC1t the stetf~i~:it: consic1P.r ether cHcrnativcs to this

~ethod of disposal, sue~ as into t~~- d~~P a~uif~rs. f rlispcs~l ~rll.

.I is th!! only \·:ay tc ir.s:.ir~ t:-:at tritiun~ is ke::it out of th2bic:;pher::

ur:til it d2ca~·s tn no:1toxic lev<.:ls .•

P.ECREf\TIO. '.AL COi:SI !:"!EP.J\TJOi:S ------------- --·-----------

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APPBHDIX G A-79 .

STATE Of. SOU I H CAROLINA

®ffitt ltf -O:Ii·t C6trbc1·1trrr

<!!uhun!tia 2@211

ROBE:R1" E .. MCNAIR

oovc.~t.10"' Se11tember 24, 1970

Mr. Harold L. Price Director of Regulation Atomic Energy Commission Washington, D. C. 2054 5

De:ar Mr. Price:

· · Rcfcrenc~~ is made tq the pcncl.ing applicati.on bcfDrC' th·~ Atomic Energy Comrni ;sion hy AlliC'd-Gulf Nudcar Scrvicc-_s for a consfrn,·tion pern1it f0r its J3arnwelJ Nuc:ka1· Fud Pla.Jt.. JDnc:osrr.l arc comm cnts from St.ale ag!~ncics )-Vith thr. author Hy for estahli.:-.hing and enforcing (!nvironn1cntal slandarcls as \.Vell as comments from agencies with an interC!st in Lhis matter.

- '

lt is_ the opinion of the St:-it.c of South Carolina as reprc;scntcd b-y-.these Stale agencies ,that the info:rmation r~quesled in the agc;1c-y corninents sh~u1d be furnished by Allied-Ciulf_Nucbar s~rvices before ·

'-. . construdio~l begins, i£ possibJe a~d certainly before operations bc.·gin at the Barnwell Nuclear Fu~l Pl.ant.

It is the Slate's objective to _cooperate in any manne:r feasible m assisting wi.lh the location of ini.s pli'lnt. For thc .. most part, we feel the suggested amendmc'nts and further s'tudies po sc no major problcrn nt tM s ti;:ne.

REM:AMB Enclosures

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A-80

.~r-~~"l.' (.'f' SOC'l'll (' .. ~I:n " .. 1;·.".'J.'i.' J:J-.'P()i'J:Ch'S (_.'(),)J.1IJ.<.;Sf(JX ~ .

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\ :!41·1 l.llJLl~ 8'1'1:1.:j-. l', <:UJ.ll:!.HJA, ~.;. C. :.>:r:.!ul

,..,. SeptembP.r 24, 1970

The HonoraJ;le Robert E. McNair Governor of South Carolina Office of The Governor State House Columbia, Sout,h Carolina 29201

Dear Governor l\fcNait:

Enclosed ar~ the com.~eht~ developed by interested State agencies on the Barmrell Nuclear Fuel Plant environmental report.. 'l'hese agency comments can b.:: g:rouped into thrE;:e areri.s •of principle c.:oncern ·which ai·e: (1) ground wc~tcr hy.:Jrology; (2) air· ef.fluents; (3) wate:r effluents.

• 'l'he. CJ.fi;c.nc.ics reviewi:1g the p~·oposed Allied-Gulf ylans have found a very cooperative response 'by Jl.llie!l-Gulf' off~cials in rc'(iewing their entire plans:• with res'pc-ct to environmental surroundings; The rcnrie·.dng si.gendE!s

.. f'eel that addi tfonal inforraat:i.on shouid. be provld~'d ,fi th respect to ground water withdrawals: first, to assu·cc that dernands from proposed plant operations can be met, thereby protectjnt; investment; secondJ.y, to evc.luatc proposcJ ground water withdrawals with respect to its effect on sur:roundl.ng ar.eP.s currently makinr; wi thdra;1als from. the same aquifer. P.adi tional lriforma.t.5.on should aJ:so be. furnished. on the possibility of any contamination of grour..d water rcsult{ng from the bu.rial of radioactive .waste mc;~;crials or any other activity of the Barm;ell NucleR.r Fuel Pla.•:..t. Allied-Gulf assured that t:i1ey will. procc.·cd -with sophisticated c;e.oloe;ical studies 'With respect to gr:oun.J water suppll.es; When this is complete, a more accurate ewiJ.uation of this phase of' the envirom:<cntal impact can be better judged .

Al.1 i~c1.-Gu.lf'' s envi!'or.mental report statea. that small quanti tj_es of ra.dio­nnclides inc] ml5.n£: Krypton-85 will be released into the atmosphere. They further st.e.tec1 tbat J\.rypton-85 re:novaJ. :::quipment is currently being developed. We feel that Allied-Gulf should inst'3.ll. K:cypi.;on-$5 removal equi17n,c:1:t durinG c0nstruct:i.on to eliminate discha::.·,?;es to the atmosphere, &'1d thus sic;id fi.ce.ntly :reduce exposure to th:· gencn:.l population.

':-'. .._.,._

Governor Robert E. McNnir September 2h, 1970 Page 2

A-81

We feel that Allied·-Gulf' s proposed method of coaling their lig_uid ~ ...

effluent before introduction into Lower ~-'hree Runs Creek is insuf"ficient and stigc;est that th(' cooli ne pond be dcsiGped ir.. such a. inanper that the water leavine the pond wlll rnect the tem1K•rature standards as set f'orth in the South Carolina stream standards. · We further sue;gest that dui-ing' design the possibility of' stricter future temperature standards be 1

considered •.

The South Carolina Water Resources ConLT_j_ssion, as vell as the· other '.·, agencies pa:cticipating in this review, stand rca~-.y to cooperate to the

fullest 'With AlH ed-Gulf -Nuclear 3ervices in pH>tectin2: the en:vlronment both during construction and opc:ration of the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant.

CPGJ:r·: srn

Enclosuie

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Sinc~rely yuurs, ,, J ;

(:/.~.:.I_· . /.'!.:: C'lair P. Gue::ss, Jr. Executive Director

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SUB.JEc'r: Cornr-;cnts regarding Eli''.FP

DATE: Bcptem~~r 21. 1970

Any :'inE.1 ".;0lM .. ;cniB COl1C 1:=1·11j.rif; the erouncl WGiter- hydrology Of

the arf"ci in arid around the BNFJ) site will h8ve to at•ltiit the co.mp1eU.ur; anci rE:viNJ of the ir,vc:·stl~ationc )n progJ"ess and tho~u? sc:h<:-dlil(•d ty fll1ied-Gulf c:;ncl thf:.i.r con.sultC":nts.

HoNc·.·E.r, thc:rc &re some quc·stion.s whi.ch we f(·el should te ·ans•·.'c·rc.-r1 in ·r, total an:;;ilysj s of the e:xisting groLrnd water. conl.ijtion~.

1. Wl18t :=:-re tbcJ cn:Cict c;eobydroJocic conrJitions extant in tbc prop.J:.::d plant site and stin:oundinG areas? Considc1<::it:10,, should t,e g]vun to the foJ.Jowing par·a~. rnotc:rs crH1cen:;]ng ciqu.i.fc;n:i: (a) their c:arnc1ty to st or• and tro!'JC·n:t t i-~c:i:-<:,r, (b) t!1c.:i r perii1 cabiJ i ty and directi.o.1' of ~·:atcr 11.:0·1~1nctit j_n the:: agujfer.s, (c.) the rate of \'Vate: movert:~ilt ir; the aqtlJ fcrt; &nd {d) rw tura1 or artifich:l d:l~:0harr;·.~ or v1ater in th~ squife:rs.

2. What 0tfect Wi1J BNFP giound water withdrawals h:::.vE. ou t'.-;c ~;11r20Ll!ld]i'.:[.'. srcc.1:::1 end hot•: lar~e an area wtJl he ~rre~t~C?

J. a nri

ls th.:;ire t: hydr·olot;l·:·. conner..:t:lcn liE!t:1,;c:en the shall-m devp aqul;ers? ·

lt. 1JjJ.1 lhv1E: [.(• &ll:f r:cl:1l1-·u~incit:i.OrJ Of ground ·W8°i;;Cl'

re~uJ t in3 f:r0G th~ ~urJ.aJ 9f radio-&ct]\·c waste materiaJ 0:r· any r_.tl:··:~· .0:r;i"ivity i::.t :Uf-l.F?':'

_·,,;.·.

--- ·-~- -------- ....-.·.· ..

A-83 ;

Page 2

5. Will both the sh~llbw and deep ~qulfcrs be included i t .., d • ,,.:i- ~ . • -. n .Je groun W~i•~er n,orij r.or-1ng 1)1·og1~[lm·:

6. What pararrr<.:0 tcr::. wU.l 'Ce scbcdp} e<J fc•r mont to ring? '•. . '

It is.suc;~e;E~c.;ted tlilit the· CCJC;~tn.c; pond te dc:si.e;ncd ln ::-; 1Jch a manner that the w:.::t·cr :;_c:«1 1:ing th<? pon~\ wLl.J rr.eet the temper8tu1·0 .stand~ircL .. Ds .'.:-:::t: f'or~h 1.n th6 South Cs1·011nD stream standci rd s.

''·:~

I :1

........ - - -·--··----- --- -- ~ - . . A-84

~nut11 a!ar11H11u ~ulln.th1~t filoutt·nl Autqnrity AUTHORITY r.~::um:r.s

RO!'F..~i' W, TUFcNFR . . • CHAlt~UT<'•: C.HAllU•CA.N

AU7KORIT\' I I IDt•OP'l'J;

E. KENNETH A'YCOCI\," ~

JAMES w. Wr.es . Cl.AIR P •. GUESS, JR.? BOB HICKMAN • •· °:. LEWIS E. HENDRICKS. ALFRCD A. DECICCO

SEN N. MILLER, M.D ... , • Cot.UW•IA

J. FRANK MIXSON ••• , G1:011~ETOWN JAC'o( E. POWERS • • . . • 61M•10Hv1t.La

WILLIA~~ M. EIRICE, JR ••.••• Yo111c E. F, LAU • • i ; • • • • GflHHWDOD

C. MARION SHIVE:R. JR ••••• CAWDl'N J. ~~RION SIMS EIUILDING

Q!oiumbia, oQouf~ aiz:rolimt zgzo1

September 9, 1970

Mr. Clair P. Guess, Jr., Executive Director S. C. Water Resources Com.nission 2~1~ Bull Street Colur:ibin, South Carolina 29201

Dear Mr. Gue:,;s:

, I

AREA Coe· TELFPHONE: ·:

The fol lo'.ving com111cnts on Al I icd-Gulf Nucle21r Servic!!::. are noted as the result of uur Environm~ntcil Policy rnc;eting on Scptembe.r 2, 1970:

I.

2.

Ort p.:i9e; J(, of their report, it is stuted w.:itcr for the BNFP ~·Jill'be. dr.:iv.'11 from th~ Tu'.1c:olousc1 aquifer. \.!hcit effect wi 11 this d1"c1w-clo.,..m hav-: cm the surrounding towns vo1ho also depend cm this aquifer for' W.J t't: r?

On p<•gc 19 it stulcs ~fHP villi publish a co111;:-rch~nsivc report. I 1·1ould Jil;.c Lo request the S. C. Pollution Control Authority and all. ·other arplic<.ibl(· State ti9cnc:ics be furnished a copy on a six months interi111 U<J!ds.

j. Page 21 of the report st~lcs that w~ters will be used only f6r cooli' but not specific on tl1c'. Dmount to be: used for cooling or boiler Lloi·1 Vh~t about nutrients?

4. Puse 22 of the report stal(-5 \·!alcr ter;iperciturcs t:p to ll0°F prt~r.1~tcs growth lO loc<1l .:iquiltic life. What effect \·1ill this ternpc,ri.Jlure hav on plcints :ind biota in the Hream. Also, v1:ic1t effect will an incre~'· in strc<trii fla.-1 ll<'lvc on soi I erosion ;rnd si ltirig of the: Lm1er Three R. Crcd; .:inci the Sav<innah F:ivcr?

5. P.:1r:e 23 of the report. St8tes tht~ cffluu1t relc;~<;c \'ii l 1 not. produce a1 sisilifi;;.::11t er measuro::-lc effects on life rroc.feSSb of the ecosystem th!:! irr·rr.~l'i atr. .:ii-ea; but 'r!~1c:it al)out the cwnulnt iv.:: c:ffec.ts?

6. P<19e 2~ s t<1tec, the mini r.1<i l e ffec..t~ i;d 1 l be loc:<i l i zc(:. \o/hc'lt as5uranc~ d0 w0 hnvc Lhi~ w~ll or can be d8nP?

,'·."

. ·--- .._ .. ___ ·--

Mr. Clair P. Guess, Jr •. Page 2 September 9. 1970

.. :, .

A-85

----------------------------------------------7. Page 36 states .the cooling,.pond will be capable ··of holding 15 million

gallons. I do'not think this is adequate.

8. Page 37 states they wi1J recover the nitric acid for reuse. No men-, tion is· made of waste· from this ~cid-rccovery system as to· how it will

be treated or hand I ed in case of an accident a J sp i 11. '

By direction of ~I. J. Webb, Ph.J •• Exect.:tive Director-, Pollution Cnntrol Authority.

HEG/clh!

cc: Mr. G. fl. Rhame

You rs t r u 1 y ,

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Henry E. Gibson Chcmi<:.t

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A-86

; J$u1d'I1 @arolitta ~hdr. lt1naro ·of ~4caltq

EXE:CUHVE COMMll"·Yl:E'

w. Wnc .. N· KINC, 'M.D •• CHM ••• Dl.TCG .. UnG .Jo~N D. MAR1 IP.:. J11 .. r.t.o .• v ... CHM .• APlnC:nsq'N

A. w. HAN('.KCL, M.t> . .• - •• CHAFU .. i::STDll

o. E. MA.v:..:R, M.D, ... - .. .. • - - Cot.UMldA

Kr.an H. S•4'TH, M.D. - •••• Gf:u:NVILL£ .J. tlOWARLJ 6TOK£S, M.D. • • • ' FLOIU:Ncc

W. R. WALLA.c0

E, M.D. • •. • • , • CH!'!lTCn

J, MARIC>N ~IMS BUILDING

COLUMEllA 29?.01

E. KENNETt: AYC'"OC~:. M.O. SC.cl"f:1'ARr .ANO STA.TF. HC..\l.TH OFF·1c:t-:R

September 4, 1970

1'1:c. Clair P. (;~.less~ Jr.·, Executive Dire:ctor Sout11 Caro] ina i·7atl!r Resources Com.mission 2414 Bull Street Columbia, Sot1tb ·c:Cl-.:ol:i.no. 2920.l

EXC.Cl!'rlVt COMMl'TT.Et!

HOWAIUJ B. H1cci1u, D.0.5 .•• I 'IU.V G, WHITLOCK, PK.G. • • •, I

MNS, MAOIE R. HARRl9, R.N. • .• L. D. ROOCEllS, D.V,M. • • • •. CA.Nit:\. R, McLton, ATTY. GEN . •

H£NRV MIL.LS. COM~. Gr.N . .....

In r<~S}i,)I1!W to the i?:iVi.taU.on to cor:·,:ncmt on tht: AJ.J i.ed-Gulf Nuc:lear Service's Envi1:0:1t1K•nt<d i;':'IJ.:Jr'~, we have the folJ.m;i11') comm8nt.s:

1. We feel u.~t J'l.lli0r:1-(;u] [ should install 85 Kr ri::moval 'E!lJUipm·~nt whi{,:'fi by cli nd.n<i.ting t.h,i_,., olf gas from being a1sc:hargf'c1 1.:o the <11.:.mosphere. would result in a siq.r.ificant c~:pQsure rcduvl:ion to the gcr.cra] ·pup._lation.

.. -.. ?. • Wit:h reganJ to th'-~ S<:'iamv-ih Hiver Plt1nt and Allied-·Gi;lf r.adionuclide discharge

to the .oi ir and \·.-.::. tc:c. It is rcD-sonuble to QXlJ(;!t:L that. levels in this area will incr.0.:i~H;•, What wjJt be thC? impL'.ct on the S;:1vc:inni"h River, wildlife: game and fish, nd.J k supplies n•1d c:..gricultur.r.i.l products of off-site areas?

3. WhRt will ho the .::mvirornn.:mtn.l problC'!mi:: assoc.in 1:ed with the draw a~wn for the water n~qui.r~ments of Allied-Gulf? (E!o=pc•cially as it perr.ains. to mig·ration of nuclide~ fror.1 unr1~.l:'gnium1 storr.ge a.cc·;:is.)

4 • '1.'hc report indi-::a t.e~; that tbe liqu:i.d effluent \·1i.J .l be released to Lo•:1er Thn~·3 R?.JnS Creek.. 'l'h~.~' Agency is co1~ccrnc;,cJ that: poi;:s;i.ble rarUonuclides s1.1ch as 137 might. Le in thj_~, a:r.ea m1J riossibly couJ.d be lenc:hed to ot}){·~r areas when this £low is i1icre;;i~;cd.

5. We request. clo.sE: c:co_:"Je:rC'L.:Lon with Allied-Gulf in th8ir eme::.gcmcy plan. It is requesb:;c thnt the .Stcrh'! Board o:J: Health, Divl ::;ic;n of Rarli<"'J.ogical llecilth be includct in any notif:ic:atior. requii:ed.

t. Alliet~--r;nlf and S"tate: FJO.':;."<':i of Jl!:::.:iJ.th h«tve a ~ontre:;_r;t·'Ue:il <::qreE':r.<ent f.o:i.'.' informc>. exchn.ngc incJ ud.i ng c;r..;::rg·.:.:lici::~; ar·~l r-:t(J:i.onucl:i.C:.~ r~·,J.ea::::e!:. Lo the eHvironment..

,· .. ':'..:::·. ..... · ..

·-.

Page 2 A-87 Septcmbc:r 4, 1970

7.

8.

;

How will the AlJ icd-Gulf enviro11mental p:1:ug:cam be implemented?

Have any studies been made· concerning the flo.\.i of 8'5 Kr to 10\·:er levels (as a.long streams)? Har.; any conside:r.ation boon given to·85 Kr as an internal hazar<l?

9. _What will Allied-..:>ulf c11vironmcnt&l program consist of after ste:trt-up?

·_.:.· ..

10. t·:lto will retain' custody of h:i gh level .L0 adi0active burial grounds a.fter plnnt

shut down?

We appreciate the opport:uni Ly to comment on the Allied-Gulf Envirc.mmcntal Report.

Very truly yours,

I

I r· \ ... · . } ..! '· .. '• ..

I . / Heywan'l c. SheHly, Director

:

Division e>f Rac1iulogic::c..;.l Hciil th

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&d~ C!a.?.6Jd~/V SEP 22·1970

't;-1? D £!..~ fC2> lJ-B F C: fJ.;t !ES 0 U JF:<C lrt 9 IO E~ PA lRT M fa f~..'l"'i'' POST OFFICE BOX 167 COLUM£l!A, SOUTH CAROLINA

• '1~ME5 W. WEBB fXECUTIV[ DJR[CTOR

29202

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'

" PAT RYAl..J (HRH TON, OJ\ blO\i

0~ G.\~IE .\~iJ flffSIM .\HI! flSIHIU! \ September 21, 1970

• DR. JAMES A. TIMMERM1 DIR£Cl011, UIVISION MAllJNf R£SOURCES

Mr. Clair P. Guess, Jr., Executive Director S. ·c. Water Resources Commission 2414 Bull Street Columl>.ia, Sout:h C.arolina

Dear Mr. Gt•ess:

Thank::; for your recent letter informing me th.l.t a meeting is to be held Scpte111bcr 23, 1970 at 10:00 A.M. in the Conferpnce Room or ~he Water Resources Commission offices. I am sorry that a prior co:nmitt111c11t will prevent rny u"'ing p:resr:mt <tt this m0eti11g. However, I request that thi~ letter be presented as an indication of the positi011 o;f the s. C. Wildlife Resources D0p.::irtmcnt with regard to the <\f'PJ ication of Alliec:1-Gul :f Nuclc<1r Services.

ln addition to the information presented in the report of M:c. R. I. Nmvman, some 'in:Cor.mation was also obtained f:r.om the prescnta­tioi1 and question.s at the recent mcc·ting~ Unfortunately, all of our questions \'lel"C! not answered or were not answered satsifc\Ctorily at the l11ecting. Si11ce that time I have reviewed literature concerning Parr Pond w·ith J:(.?9ard to turtles, largemouth b<iss and vegetation.

It is my bclic.f that the basis for their statement in the report o.f JLtly 7 ~ 1970 .- 11 Th~:re will be no adverse effect on stream biol0gy o;[ Low~r Tln:ec Runs Cr.eel~" - is open to cons:idc:rable di£cnssion. .. There ar.e nur.wrous sp~cies of ple1.nts, .fi$h, ma.mmals, mi.cr.o--inverte­br:ates, etc. which could be adversely effected by te;.1•p<?1~atures of l.J.O d::.grccs.

There are questions as to th~ metabolism and lii"e span of animal~ cxposc>d to these high water tcmpcrC\tti.res •

My ha.stv arithmetic indir.atc-s that approximately 17~CJ00,000 gallons per ~ay of cooling wate~ will b8 run th~ough a cool~ng pond th<lt has a capacity of appro.,~imat:P.ly 15,ooo,ooo g<.1.llons.

In t-..:ief, I feel that. \'J(• must object to the issuing of a con­struction permit to AJ.lj.ecJ-Gtilf Nucle:ar SE":rvices tli1t5.l such time a$ moJ:c det<1.ilcd iu:forrna t~ on is availe1.bl0. It is i:iy b0l:i.ef that a s·tnc1y or studies sboulcl be 11wde to dc?°!:e:n1iine the biologica.1 imp2.ct

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Mr.. Clair P. Guess Page 2 Sept ember 21 1 i'970

.: ... , ·· .. - .. 1.·.··

0£ this project prior to the issttiri~ of a permit. I do not believe that a general statement (as submitted in their report) is adequ~tc assurance that· the wildlife re-sources of the area will Jiot be harrncd. This assumption is even m0re cl:iffjcult to accept in view of the fnr.:t

1 that some of the information upon which theii: inform.:..tion \'las based was taken from newspaper articles. In addition such technical in--f orm~tion as has been mC\de d.Vai.lahle. to ine .from Pa:r:r Pond appca1:s to be valid and applj cahlc to Parr Pond. ·However, these tecJrnical data arc i:estrict.e:d to a pccuJ..:dr. h·~bi°t<Lt anci li,11ii tec.l in r11ai11 to spc::cific plant!; a·nd animals and do noi represent. the: cnJi:5re eco .. systcrit.

JCFjr/11!l~

cc: Chairman Cly<.1-:.· II.. El t%r.oth F..xecut.iv{! Di r.c~ctor ·)amt:~ \·;. Webb Director-Pat Rya~

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STATE DEVELOPMENT BOARD Post OFFICE POX 9;'!7

COLUMlll/\. SOUTH Cl'.!lOLINA 29Z02 l· ..

-'-Q...L.t.:1'1:.i..ii.-~.

oon.cro;• SeptembeF·9, 1970

~i

\

Mr~ Clair P. Gue:;s; Jr. Executive Di rcct(fr · So'uth Carolina Water Resources Commission ·2414Bull Street' Columbia, South Carolina 29201

Dear Mr. Guess:

In response to the r~quest made at the hearing at your office on Septe:mber 2, tlie South Carolina State Develop­ment Board hereby states its position regarding the appl ica­tion of All ied-Nucle~r Services· to tonstruct th~'Barnwcll Nuclear F':f,el Plant.

The South Cato) ina St~te Dcvelopme0t Bo~rd is in favor <if gninting the appl ictlt ion of All ied-Nuclcar Services

···.to cor1struct llrn plant sinc.e it.will increase industrial em­ployn;ent in Barrn·1cll ahd adjoining counties and adr} materially to the tax valuation of Barnwell County.

This approv~I is contingent on required arid proper safe9uards

1 being taken to insure that no si9nifica11t danicige

will be done to the environment by the construction and opera­tion of this proposed plant.

~IBfl: ns

Very truly yours,

I

)· /:l,,,,,,, . I . I I Ji 1· : I//,'·,.:/

· J; Bonner Manly o'i rector i

TELlF'HOtlF:.

(BQJ) 758·230 I

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A-91

sou·,·H CAROLINA ..

STATI: HIGHWAY DEPAffflv'lENT lJRA.WErt \LI

COL'tlMEllA, S. C. 29202.

t·;r. Cl,1ir r. Gu.:..'s~, ,Ir. Execu~iv~ Plr~ctor

September ti!, 1970

S. C. \'<,t: ... :;· g:::,!-::JL•1c:es Co111=ni~~ion ~·.\ l •'.: f:u l l St r~· -:. ~ (:(.1]1·.,,bi·"'· $f'u;.Jj C.-·1·olin:, '-9?01

Thir' 1<.·i:t:'2i" is t<• fun11:..illy aC:vi~.c: yc.1t1 th~t tli·::> ~•111th C~:1·0Jin~1 ~-=~·.:.l- .ii~;~=·.~·;· l 1.:pt.trt:., . ..?11~· ... :.:-;s r·~~)-;: ~·:ir~I, to c~ntcr_·<~n cd1jc~~:tio:1 l 1.J th'· l r: •. ·li;:; (;~ l.h:: ;-·i'O:.•(·~c\: i1u.:l(:~oi -fLi·.·:I 1q11·0c···.·:,i.:10 pl.:.·r1t t(.• bt; c:;in·· !.t;·w-.;:r:.: n.-:.':I [:;i:-r .. :.-:11 l.iy llllicd Gulf l!w:-._l!!<il' Sl'.:rviccf. c··· tot.Lr::- q 1K:r•·"'

;.:.;:or- ti:·~: CJ.;.(,~c-::~. ~:l.1~.le::.: St{:tic,;·} by [)u::•:: Po1 :;~r' '.r.(•·.ip.-ny.

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111 1 1Pc;.'!ti;·.£1 i11 Y'-n~r o-ffi\.·.:. on 5c.rtf:,nb::1· 2, 1~/~>, ttt \·!;1icli iii.~~ infGrr;·i ... :­t ! (~;·, ,·nnr.-::. :·. iI1:; th:.: en'' i 1 1.-.:.~ ..... r1·~·a 1 ~ffc·ct of tiic:.~ t\·\'O pl ~H·,ts \:~1:::. n-.~~·=' ,":': .i·\,:hl~, ~·i:d r:';.:pl-·in<:~d hy p,pre-:0~;1t;::'i:i 1/C!~ of tllic:,J Culf cn::l D~!:-:"'. Pc·.· .. :r c.:1 ;·;;-:·cy, Fro .. ~ t:·,.: .. ir1ft'i'i;'-::-l ion prc'H'rlt\•(f ffi: thif. r;;';(·'\i1!~, \'.'.~ ck1 riot f'-"·~1 1:·:~·t 1;hw·:.' pl~;ii:~: ~·•ill hi\' . .- .-:n u~vc.t·•:(: .-,nviro;-:·;.n.U'!l effect L!:j•:i;1 t!-"~ h! :-::, ·~=~1 :, L,~- J~•cn ~-o;\:: u~ in~: th~· t1i~:h 1

• .1:.:y~ nf this ~:.tt·.tt:.

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e::-;· .... t to k.: <'!:ilr..: :·.• c::Ti\·, c:i: <. r.;'.J.tl!:;lly q!;·c:.d .. !e:.sc.lutiq11·t(I ti:·: tu.;::-.·· r-:·:· .····t fl;L c-·~ ti: .. ··· ~-... ·:· 1 ~1 1n;. !,w :;·:· ,;·s n~'t tc: c.~;.-.::1 ...... ~~·;.; th3 rc'.; . .:.'s or hri<::;·~·:::

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&nlitl1 C!!urnlittu &tnte <nnmmissinu nf l~nrtlitr.1J

September 4, 1970

"· o. 11oic ~~ COLUM81A, S. ~. _l

'Mr, Clair P. Guess Executive Director South Carolina Water Re~ources Commission 2414 Bull Street Columbia. South Carolina 2 9201

De~;: Mr. Guess:

. As you know· E. C. Pickens represented the Forestry Cow.mission at the .E.nvironrnental Policy Meeting in your office on September 2. ~t this mci,,eting both Duke. Power. Company and Allied-Gulf Nuclear Services pr<:!sented their Environment.el Report. Our commen_ts and recqmm~ndatiouswould only apply to the possible impact of thase pla:nt open~tions on foresi: lanns •..

We see no objections to Duke Power Company's proposals. It has been our observations during the past thirty years that the Duke

·-:Power Company has attempted to ,manage their woodlands for multiple­use pux:poses including high value forest products. I_t appears ci1at they have incorporRted this multtple-use concept in their environmental quality prog):am. ·

' . '

I do have some question concerning the Allied-Gulf request: ·

1. , Allied-Gulf stated that their: cooling water would be returned to their. holding pond at lOlOF, They estimated water leaving this holding pond would be 93°F. Perhaps cons:i.deration should b.:1 giv£!n. to a larger holding pond allo~"'in2 mora convection and evaporative cooling prior to release,

2. Would it be possible to get a little. more detailed infor..:. ma.tion ou the water level to be maintainzd in Lower Three Runs C;:eek at this rate of dischargC! since any water level change would have an effect on the ecology of this area?

truly yours,

'

JR'f:yr

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A-93

PRT~~ . . . '•

Bob Hickman ·· Executlvo Director

' .·September 14,, 1970

Nir~ Clcir P. Gue:ss, Jr., Executive Director Water Re~ources Commission 2414 Bull Street. Columbia, South Carolina 29201

Dear Clair:

The following Observations and c::omments ore offered on behalf of OU!" Dapartm~flt after hearing the presentations.of Allied Gulf'and Puke Power Compciny concierning en\•, mental implicctiC\ns of their respective projects. . . · ...

With reference to Allied Gulf's plonn~d nudear fuel reprocessing foci lity ul· Bar~ we can see nothing in this devel"?ll'}ent that would ba adverse to any cxistin9 or propos; recrcati on de.ve I opme~1ts in that genera I area. ·

- ,. .. . ,_,- ' .··'. ''{, : -. . ':

Wit:h reference to Duke P~wer's Keowee-Toxcway project, ii' is OLJr foe ling 1h'lf· t Co111pcny has incorporated sufficient features in its plan to enhance tlie environment 'ol area for recreation fJUrposes. We are pleased that the Company hos set aside a numb~.·· trach; of fond ar~jnd th~ empoundmtiints for' public and private rf.c:reation devolo?rnen!::~ Company already has cle~dcd o 1, 000 ccre tract of land on Lcke Keowee with substa;iti: frontage on Lake Keowee t~ the Sfote ot South Carolina for c new stat~ park. It C1ppea: that. Duke Power Company hqs givan substqntial coni;ideraticm olso to .of)porh.Jnit.ic~ for F enjoyment of the scenic beauty of the area.·

We appreciate the opportunity to be a part of th~ reviewing feom for these prole~·

BM:dem cc: Mr; Si 11 1Viersh

Mr. Ray.Sisk .,

Sincerely,

/l 1 tL.~:Lr.~--. tJc-.?v1!, /r/· ,. r .

B.ob Hi c:kman Director ;,-,

I 7~$-2.i66

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APPENDIX H A-94

A Li.. i E D.; G U L F N U C;L-·E A R S E RV IC IE S · P.o. Box 35, Flo.rh~m P~rk, New Jersey 07932

.:::

Mr. Lyall Johnson, Acting Director Division of Materials Licerising. u. s. Atomic Energy conunission · washington ~ b. c. 2os4 s '

Dear Mr. Johnson:

(201) 538-BOOO

October 8, 1970

.· Do~ket No. 50-332 ':'

\

.:.·\

,, .. ··

_t-,

In i::esponse to your request for comments on statements made j

and questi6ns rais~d on our ~~Vironmental Report and to your lette.

of September 25, \970,.we submit the' following:

1. )\t _various time~, . J;"epre.sentati ves of Allied Che.mical Nucl ·

P~od;.ict~ I Il}C. , .. and '~flie~-Gulf ~uc'.!,ear Services have

discussed the Barnwell· Nuclear Fuel Plant with the reqion: - --._;

state and local Boards and Agencies listed below:

South Carolina

The Covernor and his bffice

State Development Board

Committee for Technical Training

Forestry Commission

Board of Health

Pollution Control Authority

Highway Department

Parks, Recreation & Tourism

A partnen;hip of Allied _Chemical Nuc-lear Products, Inc. a~d Gulf Energy & Environmental Systems. lni::. ...-··.,:;;,..~

( ...... - ; --,' .. ~· ";,-

Mr. Lya1·1 Johnson Page 2 , October B, 1970 A-95

!

/

Water Resources Commission

Wildlife· Resources Department

Barnwell County commissioners' Office - T. E. Richardson

··Georgia '~· : '

Fish and'Garne commission· "", '. ·' . ~· '

Oepaitcienf of Public Heal~h _(including~Air Quality and

Radiological Health Departments) . .

s·cience and· Technoiogy' Commission.

St'ate Water Quality Control· Board·· 1·'

··::,

.Reg:i,'onal

Lower Savannah Ri'ver Regiona1·p{anning Commission

Sbuih Caroliria-Ge6rgia ~~cl~ar Bo~rd

Southern Interstate Nucf~a~·~oard

While contacts with some of the above groups were made initially

as early as 1967, all have been,advised .of the status of the

project within the past six months. We plan to keep all of

these Agencies and B~ards fully ~dvised, to the ext~nt they

desire, of the development and results of our erivironmental - •, ..

monitoring program.·-· Specifically;' soon after receipt of our

Construction Permit, we will contact: all of these groups to

' establish mutually suitable' lines of communication to assure

that effective communication is maintained.

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Page 3 October B,

2. Allied-Gulf intends to maintain:a qont~olled exclusi6n

area around the BNFP. R~a,lizing. :that.it is possible that

the USAEC might, in the future, determine that additional

property, now part of the Savannah River Plant site, is

excess to its needs, the.County. of Barnwe1i was asked tq

express i t:.s, willingn~ss and. commitm~nt .. to acquire 1 on

behalf of Applicant, ~hat.C!-dditional property required

for mainta~ning the excl~sio~ area to the south and west

of the .BNFP• Copy, of, letter, dat~d Fel;>ruary. 11, 1970,

expressing Barnwell County's commitment is annexed hereto·

If the disposal of property wes.t ·and soqth of the BNFP. is

pr:opos~ci by .the USAEC in the :;future,. Allied-Gulf will

cooperate .. with tqe County to aqquire property required

to maintain a~p,roxim~tely · 2000 mete.rs between the BNFP

and privately owned lands.

3. Solid wastes are defined in several categories. Th~s·e

. showing the design'ation' source and annucal volume' are:

a. From Fuel Recovery Plant

Dissolver Scra_p

.Hulls and other hardware remaining after 'f,issile

materials and fission products hav~ been virtually

compl,etely removed from same in the dissolver. . . ~

VolurnP- is expected to be 15,000 to 30,000 cu. ft.

pe·r year •.

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·':-1, ;'.',_ -_ '·. _.·

Mr. Lyall Johnson A-97 Page 4 October 8, 1970

Bulk. Hardware

Fuel element .related hardware not put into dissolver

(does not coQtain fissile material or ~ission products(

and dLscarded pl~nt equipment. Volume is expected to - -· ,' ' . . '

be 6,000 to 10,00Q cu. ft. per year. 'l, ,_., '

,: Very Low Level Waste

Shoe'covers, swipes, clothing, blotting oaper, etc.

If'not compacted~ the volume of these wastes is

estimated at 43,dOO cu. ft. per year and is

independent of operatiricj rate. Compaction may

be e~ployed to reduce this volume by a factor of

about.five.

b. From Future Installations

From UF 6 Plant

..

/'.

Miscellane.ous wastes from the UF6 operation. Annual .,

volume is estimated to range from 4,500 to 20,000

cu. ft. per year. Up to 600 cu. ft. of· this volwne

·may·be ·classified as "alpha-bearing" and be stored

in accord· with ·special AEC requirements.

From Pu02 Plant, (if installed)

Annual volume, a11·considered to be "alpha-bearing"

will approxim~te 206 io 3,000 cu. ft. per year.

\ ~ . ,..

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~ .. -

Mr. Lyall Johnson Page 5 October 8,

Of f~site disposa~

According to r

wastes will

A-98

ted AEC policy, high activit

~d off-site to a Federal repos

as solid~ ~ft~r t~n ~e~rs storage in th~ plant. ~ -'.,·, ,'1 ,:

of these would amount to about 1000 to 3000 cu. ft

year starting in 1 ~,8 ~. · .I.n addition, it may be rec

that "alpha-bearing" wastes be retrieved and shipi

to a Federal, repository.

The ranges ip volume~ of wastes relate to ranges in pla~·

operating rate or throughput,. Lower numbers reflect ear

years' operation with higher .. numbers representirig f:ull

capacity operation.

Any or ail of ,;i:he above· wastes may be transferred to an.

underground waste storage operation planned to be conduc

by a company not related to Allied-Gulf, under separate

license. Waste put Underground on the BNFP site will:

a.

b.

Be ~uf ficie~~ly decontaminated that virtually no

radionuclides would be leached from it by ground

water, or

Packaged and placed underground in such manner that

the ·combination of packaging, depth of placement anc

provisions· to prevent water percolation through or

across the waste will assure that leaching of

-.,·"

Mr. Lyall Johnson Page 6 A-99 October 8, 1970

/

significant concentrations· of radiomiclides is

prevented, or >

c. Packaged and stored in su.ch manner, if classified as

an "alpha-emitting waste", to comply with regulations ... .: . ·, '· ;,-. ..

uncier consideration by the USAEC which.contemplate ; !.

requiring that such wastes be storeG in retrievable ·.,, .,

containers in such manrier as to be free from external

contam.i.nation for a period of at least twenty years.

·rn all underground 0 storage,and·disposal, such monitoring

prbvisions as f~ench drains, monitoring ~ells, et6., .with

predetermined monitoring pro.cedures will be used to detect

the unlil;:ely leaching of radionuclides from such wastes so

that corrective measures can be taken before the leaching

is of such magnitude as to consti~ute a hazard. Even if ,

all the wastes listed in this paragraph 3 are placed· under-

qround on t!1e BNFP site~ the allotted 50 acres is adequate

for such purpose for the life of the plant. I ·.'r

4. The environmental monitoring program is still, at this time,':.

being defined by Allied-Gulf's C~nsultants in donsultation

with us. Dr. R. B. Platt is coordinating·this effort .and

has organized a team of highly qualified meri of various

disciplin,as. Dr. Robert B. Platt is Professor of Biology

in the Department of Biological Sciences, Emory University,

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Mr. Lyall John~qrt-. ~ . : ~-- .: .,, .: A-100 Page 7

October 8, l

'"'':

and D.i;J:ecto.r of the University's Multidisciplinary Train:.

and Research Prograrrt in Ecology. Those working with him

and their specific area of specialty ar.e: .·

. \··

Dr. Paul G. Maye!'.', Professor of Civil Engineering, ,, ..

··Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Mayer

addresses himself to the hydrological aspects -.>.

of the program. ,, -. t"

.Dr. John Michael ~alms, Chairman and ~ssocia~e

ProfesJ;or, Department of Physics, Emory University

Dr •. Palms handles the dosimetry considerations.

(

Dr. 'Harvey Larimore Ragsdale, Assistant Professor o~:·

Bi~logy, ~o~y University. Dr. Ragsdale speciali~;

in plant ecology a.nd will handle the. computer

correlation.

Dr. Donald J. ·Shure, Assistant Professor of Biology,·

.Emory. University. Dr. Shure specializes in animal

.. iecology .

It is these men who are outlining the program for Allied . -

··Gulf, ·Which program will be formalized .by us soon ~after

receipt ·of the Construction Permit foi the BNFP.

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Mr. Lyall JOhP.!?.On · P~~e' s· A-101 October 8, 1970

The objectives· of the Environmental Monitoring Program are:

a. To provide a base line to verify adeq.uacy of. source ''

control with respect to maintenance of environmental . : .

quality'·

... b. To provide ·data to estimate human popul·ation exposures

c.

to the effluents from actual operations,

To evaluate the contribution of other regional sources

to background levels of various effluents in areas

·under the influence of. BNFP' operations·~

d. To maintain .surveillance afl:_d indicate magnitudes and

trends of the ecological impacts~of BNFP and from this ' .. . ,- ;

to provide an early warning system of potential adverse < '. '1.:::· "1 .~. •

effects,

e. To provide a sourc~ of' data for ptiblid information.

;:

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In car.~ying out these objectives,- it is our intention to give_

appropriate consideration, among other things, to the matters

which have been raised by governmental agencies.

As a means of achieving the above objectives, a computer

correlation approach has b~en developed which· ·enco'mpasses

· the entire region surrounding the s.i te-. The region is

considered as a man-environment ecosystem, with all com-

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. Mr. Lyilll Johnson · A-102 Page 9 October 8 , . 19.i

ponents closely interrelated with each other. This cone

recognizes that man's welfare is dependent .not only on t

stresses placed directly on him but also on the quality ' ' ' . . .

the total environment of whi6h he is a part. The long··

range maintenance of quality of the entire system is

therefore a primary consideration.

Other inputs and considerations follow.

·. /

a. Meteorology ~ evaluate meteorologi~al conditions inl

regafd.to their interactions with BNFP effluents.

This includes wind direction and speed, precipitati?

including rain, snow, ha.ii, fog, and dew and its

distribution after reaching.the ground and vegetati0 ·Particular emphasis .Will be placed on rain-out and ..

fogging relative to tritium balance, as well as othe

critidal nu~lides and noxious chemicals.

b,. Geology and gr~.und water - determine the direction

\

.. and velocity of ground water flow and the depth and

seasonal fluctuation~ of the water table. Examine

the interaction of the three basic aquifers and from

this determine the radionuclide migration direction

and rates. ~stimite flow rate from the Tuscaloosa

aquifer including drawdown for total flow potential,

well spacing, water chemistry, arid management of the

,_,. ____ _____.!..:___~------~-------'-----------~---~~~~...,...--~- -------·--··-·- -·

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Mr. Lyali Johnson A-103

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Page 10 October 8, 1970

aquifer to preclude its abuse. Determine the optimum

location of the cooling water pond and estimate the

possible, effects of the cooling pond on the water

table and the 15 ft. berm. ,,.·

c. Ecology - as a guide to the monitoring program, an

ecological descr~ptio~ of the ar~a will be made,

defining· the· critical pathways through natural system.s

and from. these through· recreational and domestic

activities· to man. ·Particular emphasis will be

giv~q to critical nublides,and to possible but

unlik~ly:ixtreme stres~es~ An.industrial. survey

of the region will' be mad,e, so as to identify

exi.;tin,g concentratioris',and effects from their

activities. The ecology of ~ower Three Runs Creek

will be studied·before and after cooling water

discharge to Lower Three Run~ Creek is initiated.

d. Disposal of heat and•ma~ntenance wastes - provide

design parameters for ma~agement of cooling water

release such that the cooling water pond is biologically

active,, and that the ecology of Lower Thre~ Runs Creek

is not adverse.ly affected. Provide similar parameters

for the disposal of sewage, bo.iler chemicals, al'!d

maintenance wastes, if any.

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Mr. Lyall Johnson A··l04 Page 11

October 8,

e. Sampling program - devise a sampling program whicl,

will satisfy the primary objectives of the entire

program. This includes media tv be sampled, the .. .

frequency of sampling, and the type of analyses

needed with respect to all compartments of the

man-environment system. The program should provic

verification of the. adequacy of source effluent

control •. Initially, the sampling program would

inventory existing conditions resu~ting from the

Savannah River Plant, other area activities, and

fallout. This will require a detailed industry

survey of 'the region. The program should disting'l:

between the effects cf regional activities and BNF

operations.

f. Computer correlation provide an analysis system

which will determine the impact of BNFP operations

on the environment in relation to base line data

collected before plant operation. This should

determine trends of environmental change and the

isolation of BNFP effects from those produced by

other effluents.within the area. The basic storag

and analytical procedures should provide output

formats which will serve as the basis for evaluati

and report writing.

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Mr. LY.all Johnson A-105 Page 12 October 8, 1970

g •. "Publication of resulls -".these should be of

"

'.sufficient f~equency and. depth to meet the

't'equirement,s of regulatory agencies and all

interestecl citizens and public groups.

5. The entire question.of ·water discharge temperature,

cooling water pond design and potential effect on the

ecology of Lower Three Runs Creek, considering the

interdependency ~f these factors, is unde~going

extensive study. Allied-Gulf will comply, at the

least, with any duly adopted standards related to

discharge into the creek~ Certainly, there are known

and available engineering means of so complying. Current

·aesign caiculations, related to the storage of hiqh

activity waste ~s a cooled solution (the greatest heat ' .

i generator in the BNFP) indicate that water going to

the cooling water pond will be at a temperature of ·"··

101°F. · Use of natural cooling provisions is being

studied. The planned study of the ecology of Lower

Three Runs Creek will give guidance as to.the upper . '

temperature limits that will be met. All pert~nent

factors-will be considered before design is finalized.

Interested governmental agencies will be kept ·advised

of results of studies and plans for design and operation.

··.:-.. , .

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Mr. Lyali Johnson Page 13 October 8 , ..

" 6. The.· blow-down. from the boilers· will contain insignifi

' quantities of· non...;radioactive salts, most of which '\

originated as minerals·· iri the purified feed water to'

· the. boile.rs. ; A list of.; the s;al ts, their daily total ·

weights and their concentrations in the water dischai.

· to.LTRC are:·given: in the following table.

Flow of water discharge, gprn

lb/day

·'"'>,•

Polyacrylate

Sodium Sulfite ' ·. ~ ..

I

Sodium Sulfate

Tri-Sodium Phosphate

Calcium & Magnesium Phosphates

Total alkalinity

Total

#/day

6

1

5

4

2

Initial Operation

8,000

96 x 10 6

F ca. QE,.

•,·.

1

14

Parts per Mi 11~·

.06

.01

• 05 :-:· .:.

.04

.02

• 6

* Primarily Calciwn and Magnesium carbonates, including 6# Nao

** Of the total solids of 78' lb/day, 54 lb/day ~re introduced the feed water. The balance of 24 lb/day is added for wate treatment~

.·, .,,

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Mr. LyallJohnson A-107

Page 14 October 8, 1970

Related analyses of water from the Tuscaloosa formation

as reported by Siple (Geological Survey Water-Supply

Paper 1841) are as follows:

Calcium

Sodium & Potassium

Sulfate­

Dissolved Solids

Maximum

1. 4 ...

0.9

6.7

4.B

28

"

Parts· eer Million

Median Minimum

0.9 0.3

. 0 ~. !? 0.0

2 .1. 0.9

1. 4 ., o.s

19 J.4

In .. conclusion and _summary, it: is the intention and commitment

of the Applican~s~ All{ed~G~lf ~~~l~ai S~~vices et al., to cooperate

with a11· cognizant Fede~al and State Agencies on environmental matters

and. to comply with all Federal, State anq local laws and regulations.

'';'

/arr

STATE OF NEW JERSEY COUNTY OF MORRIS

Sworn to before me this 8th day of October, 1970

Sincerely yours,

R. I. Newman Project Di'rector

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A-108

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF BARNWELL COUNTY ~. o. Box ;1.n.: SA1tNw1:LL. s. c. ueui

February 11, 1970

Mr. R. L Newma'ri, Project Director Allied Chemical Nuclear Products, Inc. Post Qf.fice Box, 3 5 Florham Park, New Jersey 07932

Dear Mr. Newman:

C80SI) ZU•aA~A

We understand that in connection with the proposed construction of the Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Plant in Barnwell, South Carolina, you have been advised that as a condition ofthe U. S. AEC issuing a construction permit .and operating license for such Plant, you might be required to give the AEC assurance that, should the A.EC in the future contem-plate abandoning or conveying AEC prop.erty contiguous to the Westerly or Southerly boundary of your proposed plant site, you would be able to acquire additional acreage for a restricted area.

Part l 0 i-47 Utilization and Disposal of Real Property of the Federal Property Management Regulations (Amendment No. H-44, 19G9) provide~ that any. iand determined to be excess .

. · to the needs of the Aec would be offered first to local, county or state bodies• It also provides that disposal of such prop­erty would be by negotiation. : It appears that th'e public ·safety considerations, within the charter of the Atomic Energy Act of 19 46 , as amended, would g 1 ve a mandate to the AE C to make such property available to the extent required for the exclusion area of a licensed facility.

Should the U. S. AEC declare its property contiguous to" the Westerly or Southerly boundary of your present plant sit~ as surplus property, and if you are required by the AEC for reasons of ~iafety to acquire any or all of such property, the County of Barnwell will exe·rt its best efforts to obtain such property through negotiatioJ:l..?nd make same available to your Company in the same manner now being employed in conjunction

I .

with the Barnwell Nuclear Industrial Park.

R:w

'~~rs ve~· ~~Y, lrJC,/~[;<- /r /. .?r·{,L'rf! z. L

~irrnan ,.of ~ Board of Commissioners of Barnwell County, South Carolina

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APPENDIX I A-109

CHRONOLOGY - ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION

BARNWELL NUCLEAR FUEL PLANT

DOCKET NO. 50-332

May 20, 1970 AEC letter di~patched requesting environmental data pursuant

.to the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

(hereafter referr~d to as the Act).

July 1, 1970 Representatives of Allied-Gulf Nuclear Services met with

members of the Regulatory staff to discuss implementation of the

provisions of .the Act.

July 20, 1970 AEC received, "Applicant's Environmental Report" dated

July 7, 19 70.

July 31, 1970 Notice of availability of applicant's environmental

infonnation sent to the Office of the Federal Register for filing

and publication (published on August 6, 1970 (3~ FR 12567).

•.

July 31, 1970; August 3, 1970 Copies of the environmental report sent

to the Governor of South Carolina, the Council on Environmental

Quality, and t.he Federal agencies.

August 31, 1970 Comments dated August 27, 1970, received from the

Department of Housing and Urban Development.

September 4, 1970 Comments dated September 2, 1970, received from

the Department of Agriculture.

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AP rF.:~mrx r A-110

September 8, 1~70 Comments dated Septe;n~er 2. 1970, ~ecefved from

the Department of Defense.-

/ .. · .. ,,

September 11, 1970 Comments from Federal agencies received to"-date

forwarded_ to Allied-Gulf 'Nuclear Services.

September 23, 1970 Comments dated Septemper 21, 1970, received from

the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

September 25, 1970 Allied-Gulf Nuclear Services requested to provide

•.' .. . '.

their comments to items included_in Federal agencies letters as

received to date.

September 28, 1970 Comments dated September 24, 1970_, r~ceived from the

State of South Carolina.

October 1, 1970 Comments dated September 29, 1970, received from the

Department of the Interior.

October 6, 1970 Coritrnents from remaining Federal agencies forw~rded to

Allied-Gulf Nuclear Services.

October 8, 1970 Let~er dated October s. 1970, recei~ed from the

Governor of the State of South Carolina.

October 8, 1970 Comments dated October 8, 1970, received from Allied-

Gulf Nuclear Services.

/7

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JUC~JMENT 'ROOM

ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION

(DOCKET NO. 50-332)

ALLIED-GULF NUCLEAR SERVICES

Notice. of Availability" of Detailed Statement on Environmental Considerations

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and to the Atomic Energy Commission's regulations in 10 CFR Part 30, notice is hereby given tha~ a document entitled "Detailed Statement on the Environmental Consid­erations by the Division of Materials Licensing, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Related to the Proposed Construction of the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant by Allied-Gulf Nuclear Fuel ServiCes" is being placed in the Commission's Publ;i.c Document Room, 1717 ti Street, NW, Washington, D. c., and in the Office of the County Commissioners, Barnwell County Courthouse, Main Street, Barnwell, South Carolina, where it will. be available for public inspection. Appended to the statement are the applicants' environmental report and the comments of variouP Federal. State and local agencies. A. ·public hearing on tlie application for a construction permit commenced October 20, 1970 in Barnwell, South C~rolina.

Single copies of the statement may be obtained by writing to the Director, Division of ·Ma.terialS Licensing, U.S. Atomic Energy Couunission, Washington; D.. c. 20545,

, 1

vlc Dated at Bethesda, Maryland this,~ day of October 1970.

Otflcr, er lhi! Sei:.-elary r~n'1c.~~:;e~lng1

r. ,,r.t;f

FOR THE ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION

Original Signed by i~ichatd E. Cunnini:;ham

Richard E. Cunningham Acting Director Division of Materials Licensing

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