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Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

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178<br />

WASTE MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS<br />

Draft p. 3.1.41--Approximately 50 million'tons <strong>of</strong> rock will be left on the surface dur-<br />

ing operation <strong>of</strong> the repository. This is 70 million yards <strong>of</strong> material or a mound <strong>of</strong> mate-<br />

rial 60 feet high occupying one square mile. Has the leaching consequences <strong>of</strong> this pile<br />

been addressed? Can suitable acreages be identified in the model site area to accommodate<br />

this material? How will the residual waste rock at the surface be reclaimed? (43)<br />

Draft p. 3.1.109--There is doubt that surface storage <strong>of</strong> salt is possible for<br />

25 years. Techniques that enable this to occur should be described in the Final EIS. (35)<br />

Draft p. 3.1.115--The surface storage <strong>of</strong> mined material is not sufficiently evaluated<br />

as an environmental impact. A more detailed impact analysis <strong>of</strong> surface storage should be<br />

provided and cross referenced whenever it is discussed. (208-NRC)<br />

Draft p. 3.1.120--A more detailed discussion <strong>of</strong> the ultimate disposal <strong>of</strong> excavated<br />

material is needed. In some ways this problem is analogous to the disposal <strong>of</strong> dredged<br />

material. The volumes (tens <strong>of</strong> millions <strong>of</strong> cubic yards) are similar to those involved in<br />

large dredging operations. It cannot be dismissed out <strong>of</strong> hand without more detailed<br />

discussion. (208-NRC)<br />

Draft p. 3.1.121--What are the mitigating procedures mentioned in the third paragraph<br />

concerning salt depositions? (35)<br />

Draft p. 3.1.121--Information should be provided regarding the size <strong>of</strong> the area over<br />

which the effects <strong>of</strong> salt dispersal would be felt. (58)<br />

Response<br />

What are the plans for the tens <strong>of</strong> millions <strong>of</strong> tons <strong>of</strong> salt at the repository? (2)<br />

What plans have been made to dispose <strong>of</strong> mined materials? (213)<br />

Sufficient site-specific information does not exist to make a detailed generic impact<br />

analysis <strong>of</strong> much value. The potential impacts beyond those associated with change in land<br />

use are those resulting from environmental release <strong>of</strong> mined salt and the creation <strong>of</strong> acid<br />

liquid leachates from the pyrites in the mined shale. Environmentally-safe management <strong>of</strong><br />

both these mined materials is considered to be possible.<br />

The disposal <strong>of</strong> material excavated from the repository is included in the comparison<br />

<strong>of</strong> environmental impacts (see final Section 5.4). The basis for this discussion is con-<br />

tained in DOE/ET-0029 (Section 4.4.1). These questions will be analyzed on a site specific<br />

basis in the EIS required for an actual repository.<br />

Draft p. 3.1.105<br />

Issue<br />

The Authur D. Little work for EPA found that spent fuel heat loadings should be about<br />

the same for granite and salt. This seems reasonable considering that the salt has a

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