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Waste Management: 

Inspections

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LANL-CCP Proposed Baseline Approval

On April 18, 2007, EPA issued a proposed baseline approval for the contact-handled (CH) radioactive waste characterization program for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Central Characterization Project (CCP) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. EPA conducted an initial baseline inspection at LANL-CCP on March 23-25, 2006. Follow-up inspections were also conducted on August 22, 2006, and March 6, 2007.

EPA has published an FR notice (72 FR 19494) and opened a 30-day public comment period on our proposed baseline approval.The comment period will officially close on May 18, 2007. EPA will not make a final baseline determination until after the comment period has closed and after evaluating and addressing public comments.

All documents pertaining to this action (e.g., FR notice, proposed baseline inspection report) can be found in the Agency’s electronic docket at http://www.regulations.gov . The direct link to the docket for this action can be found below:

WWIS Approval -- ANL-CCP & INL-CCP

On January 17, 2007, EPA determined that the WIPP Waste Information System (WWIS), which is used to track RH TRU waste components, was adequate at both Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL), as implemented by the DOE's Central Characterization Program (CCP).

EPA previously approved the remote-handled (RH) TRU waste characterization (WC) programs at ANL-CCP and INL-CCP within the past week. These baseline approvals did not include the WWIS. The Agency stated that the WWIS would be evaluated independently and subject to review as a Tier 1 (T1) change.

The following approval letter and report (in conjunction with the ANL-CCP & INL-CCP final baseline inspection reports) completes EPA's initial evaluation for ANL-CCP and INL-CCP for RH TRU wastes for the WC systems included in the respective inspection reports and allows for the disposal of one RH TRU waste type (debris, S5000) at WIPP, contingent upon all other approvals that are required for DOE.

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ANL-CCP Baseline Inspection Approval

On January 16, 2007, EPA approved the remote-handled (RH) radioactive waste characterization program for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Central Characterization Project (CCP) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). EPA conducted a RH baseline inspection at ANL-CCP on September 12-14, 2006.

EPA published an FR notice on November 8, 2006 (71 FR 65488), and opened a 45-day public comment period on our proposed baseline approval. The comment period officially closed on December 26, 2006. After evaluating and addressing public comments, EPA is approving the ANL-CCP RH waste characterization (WC) program, as observed during the baseline inspection and as outlined in the accompanying approval letter and final inspection report.

This approval does not authorize DOE to dispose of RH waste from ANL-CCP at this time. Prior to the disposal of RH waste from ANL-CCP, DOE must obtain EPA’s approval of the system that is used to track and enter RH waste contents, the WIPP Waste Information System (WWIS). The WWIS was not ready for EPA’s review at the time of the baseline inspection. DOE has since provided information on the WWIS and the Agency is currently reviewing this information and will provide the results of its evaluation separately.

The Agency's approval letter and final inspection report can be found below, in Adobe .pdf format:

All documents pertaining to this action can also be found in the Agency’s electronic docket, which can be found on the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) website, linked below:

http://www.regulations.gov

Once you are on the main page, conduct an advanced docket search of an Environmental Protection Agency docket with the following ID:

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INL-CCP Baseline Inspection Approval

On January 12, 2007, EPA approved the remote-handled (RH) radioactive waste characterization program for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Central Characterization Project (CCP) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). EPA conducted a RH baseline inspection at INL-CCP on June 12-16, 2006, and also conducted follow-up inspections on August 9 & August 29, 2006.

EPA published an FR notice on November 8, 2006 (71 FR 65488), and opened a 45-day public comment period on our proposed baseline approval. The comment period officially closed on December 26, 2006. After evaluating and addressing public comments, EPA is approving the INL-CCP RH waste characterization (WC) program, as observed during the baseline and follow-up inspection and as outlined in the accompanying approval letter and final inspection report.

This approval does not authorize DOE to dispose of RH waste from INL-CCP at this time. Prior to the disposal of RH waste from INL-CCP, DOE must obtain EPA’s approval of the system that is used to track and enter RH waste contents, the WIPP Waste Information System (WWIS). The WWIS was not ready for EPA’s review at the time of the baseline inspection. DOE has since provided information on the WWIS and the Agency is currently reviewing this information and will provide the results of its evaluation separately.

The Agency's approval letter and final inspection report can be found below, in Adobe .pdf format:

All documents pertaining to this action can also be found in the Agency’s electronic docket, which can be found on the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) website, linked below:

www.regulations.gov

Once you are on the main page, conduct an advanced docket search of an Environmental Protection Agency docket with the following ID:

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WIPP INSPECTIONS TABLES

Below is a current listing of DOE’s waste generator sites and their waste characterization approval status in relation to WIPP. These tables will be updated as soon as new information is available, so please check back regularly.

EPA Contact-Handled (CH) Waste Characterization Inspections Status
(as of November 2006)
TRU Site U.S. State Baseline Inspection Status EPA Approval Date Last/Next CH Inspection Shipping Status
AMWTP* Idaho Conducted March 2006 October 2006 March 2006 On-going
ANL-E-CCP* Illinois N/A December 2003 February 2003 Complete
Hanford* Washington Conducted June 2007 September 2005 June 2005 On-going
INL-CCP* Idaho Complete October 2005 May 2005 On-going
LANL-CCP* New Mexico Conducted May 2006 September 2005 March 2007 On-going
LLNL-CCP* California N/A August 2004 May 2004 Complete
NTS-CCP* Nevada N/A December 2002 September 2003 Complete
ORNL Tennessee Conducted November 2007 Anticipated Spring/Summer 2008 November 2007 N/A
RFETS* Colorado N/A July 2004 March 2004 Complete
SRS-CCP* South Carolina Complete July 2006 November 2005 On-going
EPA Remote-Handled (RH) Waste Characterization Inspections Status
(as of June 2006)
TRU Site U.S. EPA Approval Date Last/Next RH Inspection
ANL-E-CCP* Illinois January 2007 September 2006
INL-CCP* Idaho January 2007 June 2006
LANL-CCP* New Mexico February 2008 May 2007
ORNL Tennessee N/A Anticipated May 2008

*site has a current, EPA-approved quality assurance (QA) program as well

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