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

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Draft 4.20<br />

Issue<br />

351<br />

ALTERNATIVE DISPOSAL CONCEPTS<br />

Table 4.5.2 presents preliminary estimates <strong>of</strong> the socioeconomic impact <strong>of</strong> the waste<br />

management options. An assumption stated under island disposal is that dockside shipping<br />

facilities will be constructed in a well established port area. For the no recycle option,<br />

packaged spent fuel will be shipped to the island disposal area. The recent NRC interim<br />

rule for safeguarding spent fuel shipments may prevent the use <strong>of</strong> well established port<br />

areas so that the conclusion reached, that the incremental impact is small, may not be<br />

valid. (208-NRC)<br />

Response<br />

Rules and regulations regarding safeguards and security for the shipment <strong>of</strong> spent fuel<br />

and high-level waste are prescribed in the Code <strong>of</strong> Federal Regulations Title 10, Part 23.<br />

Paragraph 73.37 prescribes rules for routing <strong>of</strong> such shipments. These rules do not preclude<br />

properly secured shipments to existing port areas.<br />

Draft p. 1.26-29<br />

Issue<br />

Subseabed Disposal<br />

The section on sub-seabed disposal is the most complete and concise section in the sum-<br />

mary. It describes a concept that appears highly favorable from a geologic viewpoint and<br />

concludes that "five years <strong>of</strong> research have revealed no technological reason why further<br />

development <strong>of</strong> the sub-seabed disposal option should be abandoned..." Considering that this<br />

concept is the second most favorable one, the conclusion should be stated positively rather<br />

than negatively. Also consideration should be given to simple disposal on the seabed, as<br />

reproposed by Dr. Bernard Cohen. (154)<br />

Response<br />

The change in emphasis requested by the commenter has been brought into the final<br />

Statement (see Sections 1.4 and 1.8). Seabed emplacement techniques have been under study<br />

for several years. The example or reference method utilized in this Statement is a free-<br />

fall penetrometer. All alternatives to this technique (cited in this Statement) involve<br />

penetration or emplacement beneath the ocean sediment. Section 6.1.4.3 <strong>of</strong> the final State-<br />

ment points out that penetrometers are widely used in Marine, land, space, and arctic<br />

operations.

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