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

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Response<br />

310<br />

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT<br />

See response to issue in this section referring to p. 4.16. Also, the relationships<br />

between environmental consequences and risk is covered in Section 3.2.9 <strong>of</strong> the final<br />

Statement.<br />

Draft p. S.11<br />

Issue<br />

One commenter noted that Table S.3 "Proposed Safeguards Requirements" does not include<br />

any material control and accounting requirements. Safeguards requirements for a high-level<br />

waste repository might include some form <strong>of</strong> accountability requirements during the period<br />

prior to final closure, particularly in the case <strong>of</strong> the uranium-only fuel cycle where sign-<br />

ificant quantities <strong>of</strong> plutonium would be present. (208-NRC)<br />

Response<br />

Material control and accounting requirements are discussed in Sections 3.2.9 and 5.7.2<br />

<strong>of</strong> the final Statement.<br />

Draft p. S.19<br />

Issue<br />

Under Ecosystem Impact, it is stated that the significant ecological effects may occur<br />

from construction <strong>of</strong> buildings, etc. No basis is given for this conclusion. (208-NRC)<br />

Response<br />

The conclusion that ecological effects may accrue from construction <strong>of</strong> facilities and<br />

the establishment <strong>of</strong> exclusion areas is based principally on expected changes in land use<br />

and the associated modification <strong>of</strong> plant and animal habitat. As mentioned in the paragraph<br />

in question, these changes include paving and construction <strong>of</strong> retention ponds and spoil<br />

piles. The effect <strong>of</strong> change will depend on site-specific parameters. The value <strong>of</strong> the<br />

natural and managed resources at risk, the uniqueness <strong>of</strong> the affected habitat and the pres-<br />

ence <strong>of</strong> rare species are all factors to be considered. Construction impacts may be rela-<br />

tively short-term and reversible, lasting only during the construction period or through the<br />

life <strong>of</strong> the facility.<br />

Issue<br />

Criteria for which sufficient data not available should not be included in the com-<br />

parative assessment. (217)

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