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

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Page 3.1.106. par. 3: What will the rooms, shafts, and tunnels be backfilled
with? They can potentially serve as ready avenues for ground-water
mineral names and incorrect formulae, as well as some errors of fact and
Interpretation in these sections. Rather than detail these deficiencies
here, we suggest that the authors of these sections set up a consultant
Page 3.1.114, par. 5: There can be potential problems from placing low-level
wastes next to high-level wastes if the low-level waste has significant organic
constituents or other chemical incompatibilities.
group from universities and the USGS to review the concept and go over
these sections thoroughly for accuracy and completeness.
concept is technically
Although
immature,
the
the presentation in the EIS should make
use of available expertise.
Page
Page 3.1.123,
3.1.123,
par.
par. 1: It
iredPage
does not seem credible for water inflow through
shale to be ten times that through granite; granite is not necessarily less
permeable than shale as table 3.3.1 (p. 3.3.7) points out.
Page
(1xlO-
3.1.149 table .1.35: What is the source of the listed leach rate
3.3.3, par. 2: It should be
backfilling-sealing
reemphasized here that satisfactory
techniques have not yet been developed and proven.
Page 3.3.7, par. 1, lines 3-4: In terms of fluid and solute migrate,
fracture porosity might be the most important in many host rocks including
basalt, granite and shale. Although there may be very few fractures, their
4 gm/cr 2 /day) for intermediate-level and low-level wastes? What
waste form(s) is (are) Involved?
permeability can be several orders of magnitude greater than that of the
pores.
pores.
Page 3.1.225, par. 4: See our comnents on the same subject for page 1.6
(par. 1).
Page 3.1.238, par. 5, line 4: Delete "core" after "require."
Page 3.3.7, par. 2, lines 7-8: Although fractures may be only a few meters
long, they are often interconnected with others making a continuous flow
network; therefore, the statement in the report is misleading.
Page 3.1.238, par. 6: satisfactoryPage 3.3.7, last par., lines 6-7: This sentence appears misleading or
Page 3.1.238 par. 6: It should also be pointed out here that satisfactory erroneous; oil companies have tested many wells below depths of 500 m for
shaft and tunnel sealing techniques have not yet been developed, permeability. If the reference is only to crystalline rocks, that should
Page 3.1.239, par. 2, end: Add the sentence "However, such in situ tests
have not yet been fully developed or proven."
be made clear.
Page 3.3.8: It should be pointed out here that permeability measurements )
Page 3.1.240, par. 3, last line: Insert and sorptive properties" after for one well in a sparsely fractured medium have little transfer value to
"inter-crystalline fluids." the surrounding bulk medium. Measurements on many wells drilled at different
angles are needed (which might compromise the site) or some new nonpenetrating
Page 3.1.241, par. 3, line 4: Insert sentence "By necessity, some foreign mthod is needed (not yet developed).
material such as cement or benetonite will be added to the backfill to make Page 3.3.29: The quantity "(1,000 ft.)" should read "(11,000 ft.)".
it more compact and less permeable" after "possible."
Page
Page
3.1.243, par. 2: It It should be pointedPage pointed out here that sorptlon phenomena
(or "Kds") are not yet well understood and characterized. Considerable fundamental
and field research is needed in these areas for both near- and far-field
is entitled, 3.3.37: "The Reference deformability 23 appears of to joints." be incorrect. It is on R.- pages E. Goodman's 174 through article
p a e s t h r o u h 1196 9 6
AS Special Publication 477, published i 1 970.
A p e c u b l 4
, published in 1970.
analyses and modeling. Pages 3.4.4 and 3.4.12: Probable ground-water migration and circulation
Pae sentence 31243 3patterns ar 5
Page 3.1.243, par. sentence
Presidential
3: It s approaching
policy
late
statement
CY 197
has not yet been made.
and the
associated with the rock-melting alternative need further consideration
and discussion, preferable in conjunction with effects of thermal cracking.
Page 3.2.1-3.2.23: Section
Page
3.2,
3.2.1Page
Geologic Emplacement Following Chemical
Resynthesis, and the relevant appendix P represent, on the whole, original
and innovative work on this promising concept. However, mineralogists and
3.5.16, par. 3: The reference to measurements in deep artesian wells
seems inconsistent with the concept of a floating freshwater-e'n-s,-because
conditions in a confined or artesian aquifer might not necessarily reflect
the freshwater/saltwater ratio. Influences other than differences in density
geochemists of the U.S. Geological Survey noted numerous misspellings of can be effective in confined aquifers.