[Federal Register: February 24, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 36)] [Notices] [Page 9181-9182] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr24fe99-110] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 030-05798, License No. 34-10445-01] Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact Related to Release of Parts of the Shelwell Services, Inc. Site for Unrestricted Use. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering approving the release of parts of the Shelwell Services, Inc. (hereafter known as Shelwell) site for unrestricted use, in connection with Shelwell's request to terminate byproduct material license No. 34- 10445-01. This environmental assessment has been prepared with respect to that approval. Introduction Shelwell, located at 645 Main Street, Hebron, Ohio, is licensed to use sealed sources and unsealed radioactive material in well logging and tracer studies of oil and gas wells. In September 1983, the licensee accidentally drilled into a 2-curie, cesium-137 sealed source, which caused the spread of radioactive contamination. The site was substantially decontaminated following the 1983 incident. The licensee has recently completed additional decontamination, and reported that the site will be ready for release for unrestricted use when some sealed sources and a small amount of containerized radioactive waste are removed from the site. The NRC staff will approve termination of the Shelwell license, if the staff determines that the site has been adequately decontaminated, and the site is suitable for release for unrestricted use in accordance with 10 CFR 30.36, 10 CFR Part 20, Subpart E, and other applicable requirements. If the staff determines that portions of the site have been adequately decontaminated, but the stored sealed sources and waste have not been removed from the site, then the license may be amended to release the decontaminated portions of the site for unrestricted use, and a decision made on termination at a later date, when the stored sources and waste have been removed from the site. Proposed Action The proposed action is the release of Building No. 2, the office trailer, and all outdoor areas of the Shelwell site for unrestricted use. The licensee has reported that Building No. 2, the office trailer, and all outdoor areas are adequately decontaminated and do not contain any stored sealed sources or waste. Building No. 1 still contains stored sealed sources and waste, so this building is not being considered as part of this proposed action. The Need for Proposed Action The licensee seeks to release property for unrestricted use. This action is requested in order to remove the current limitations on the future use of the property. Alternatives to Proposed Action The only alternative to the proposed action is to not release the buildings and all outdoor areas for unrestricted use and keep these areas under license. Maintaining a license for Building No. 2, and the office trailer, and outdoor areas would provide negligible, if any, environmental benefit, but would significantly reduce options for future use of the property. Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action Radioactive contamination at the Shelwell site is in the form of cesium-137 in the buildings and outdoor areas. NRC staff has performed inspections to assess the levels of contamination, and has evaluated whether the levels of contamination are sufficiently low to meet NRC criteria for unrestricted use; that is, 10 CFR 20.1402, which specifies that residual radioactivity must be reduced so that potential doses to exposed persons do not exceed 25 millirems per year (0.25 millisieverts per year). The staff has determined that potential doses are below 25 millirems per year. The low levels of contaminate fall within the scope of the Generic Environmental Impact Statement prepared in connection with 10 CFR 20.1402. Therefore, the staff concludes that the potential radiological impact of release of Building No. 2, the office trailer, and outdoor areas at the Shelwell site is insignificant. There are no environmental justice issues associated with the proposed action, because the levels of radioactive contamination at the site are very low, and there are no significant impacts associated with the proposed action. Other Agencies or Persons Consulted No agencies or persons outside of NRC were consulted during the preparation of this environmental assessment. [[Page 9182]] Conclusions Shelwell has met NRC's unrestricted release criteria, and there is no significant impact on the environment from the proposed action; therefore, Building No. 2, the office trailer, and outdoor areas of the Shelwell site can be released for unrestricted use. Finding of No Significant Impact On the basis of this environmental assessment, the Commission has concluded that this proposed action would not significantly affect the quality of the human environment, and does not warrant the preparation of an environmental impact statement for the proposed action. Accordingly, it has been determined that a Finding of No Significant Impact is appropriate. The NRC inspection reports and other documents related to this proposed action are available for public inspection and copying for a fee at the NRC Region III Office, 801 Warrenville Road, Lisle, IL 60532-4351. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 18th day of February, 1999. For the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. John W. N. Hickey, Low-Level Waste and Decommissioning Projects Branch, Division of Waste Management. [FR Doc. 99-4528 Filed 2-23-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P