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WIPP Oversight
Waste Management: 

2006 WIPP Recertification Decision

WIPP

On March 29, 2006, EPA officially recertified that the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) continues to comply with the waste disposal regulations at 40 CFR Part 191, Subparts B and C and WIPP Compliance Criteria at 40 CFR Part 194.

In the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act, Congress required EPA to “recertify” the facility every five years following the initial receipt of transuranic (TRU) waste until the end of its operational activities. WIPP first received TRU waste on March 26, 1999, and this action represents the first of EPA’s periodic evaluations of the facility's continued compliance.

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How does recertification affect the operation of WIPP?

Recertification is a process that evaluates changes at WIPP, to determine whether the facility continues to meet all the requirements of EPA’s disposal regulations. The recertification process helps ensure WIPP's continued compliance based on the most accurate, up-to-date information available. Recertification does not mean that the decision to open WIPP is being reconsidered.

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What is the basis for EPA's recertification decision?

EPA based its recertification decision on a thorough review of information submitted by DOE, independent technical analyses, and public comments. All of the documents related to the Agency's recertification decision are available through the EPA WIPP Docket. Many of the documents are available in electronic format below:

(We recommend that you read these documents in the order they are listed. The level of detail and complexity increases as you go down the list.)

Technical Support Documents

Support for Section(s): Support Document Title Size
194.14/15 Evaluation of KARST at the WIPP Site (PDF) 90pp, 2.4 Mb
194.23 Review of WIPP Recertification Performance Assessment Computer Codes, CRA Code Review (PDF) 122pp, 212Kb
  Models and Computer Codes, PABC Codes Changes Review (PDF) 61pp, 423Kb
  Review of Changes to the WIPP Performance Assessment Parameters from the Compliance Recertification Application to the Performance Assessment Baseline Calculation, PABC Parameter Review (PDF) 70pp, 520Kb
  Review of Changes to the WIPP Performance Assessment Parameters and the Database Migration, CRA Parameter Review (PDF) 181pp, 520Kb
  946pp, 1.89Mb
  Review of the 2004 Compliance Recertification Performance Assessment Baseline Calculation (PDF) 158pp, 2.2 Mb
  Santos Computer Code in WIPP Performance Assessment (PDF) 38pp, 620Kb
194.24 Review of the Baseline Inventory used in the Compliance Recertification Application and the Performance Assessment Baseline Calculation (PDF) 64pp, 667 Kb
  Evaluation of the Compliance Recertification Actinide Source Term and Culebra Dolomite Distribution Coefficient Values (PDF) 249pp, 966Kb
194.25/32/33 Compliance Recertification Application Review of Features, Events and Processes (PDF) 75pp, 461Kb
194.27 Salado Flow Conceptual Models Peer Review (PDF) 38pp, 276Kb
  Spallings Conceptual Model Peer Review (PDF) 31pp, 208Kb
194.32/33 Compliance Recertification Application Re-evaluation of Select Human Intrusion Activities (PDF) 53pp, 807Kb

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EPA Fact Sheets About the Recertification

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How can I obtain WIPP publications not offered on-line?

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