1 10 CFR Part 61: Licensing Requirements for Land Disposal of Radioactive Waste Gregory Suber, Branch Chief Environmental Protection & Performance Assessment Directorate Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection Organization of Agreement States 2011 Annual Meeting

2 LLW 101: Background Early LLW disposal practices included – Ocean Dumping (~ 60 sites) – Shallow Landfills (~16 sites) 1960s: Commercial Disposal Operations Approved by the AEC – Six sites – Licensed under Part 50 – Economics $5.15/drum (land) $48.75/drum (ocean)

LLW 101 (continued) Developments …. – London Convention of 1972: Ban on ocean dumping –Problems at Operating Disposal Sites Leaks Ground failures NRC Actions –1977: LLW Task Force Formed –1978: NRC Publishes Part 61 ANPR –1980: Final Part 61 Rule in Place 3

10 CFR Part 61 Regulatory Framework – Standardize LLW disposal practices – Develop umbrella regulation – Scoping process consistent with NEPA – Limited to commercial waste streams 37 waste streams 24 radionuclides of interest 4

Part 61 Regulatory Philosophy Waste Segregated by Radiological Hazard Integrated Management, Based on a ‘Systems’ Approach –Multiple barriers –Geologically suitable/stable site –Employ specific (yet limited) design features –Stabilize the waste 5

Summary: I Believe Part 61 is …. Non-prescriptive –Limited sitting/design/engineering requirements –Waste segregated –Reliance on institutional controls Risk-informed –Potential waste streams understood –Waste managed in context of Subpart C performance objectives 6

Recent Events Depleted Uranium Decision-Making –DU is Class-A LLW –NRC amending Part 61 to include an explicit performance assessment requirement (per SECY ) NRC Reprocessing Regulatory Initiative –New, emerging LLW streams Update to NRC Concentration Averaging BTP –SECY

Comprehensive Revision to Part 61 Commission Directed the Staff to … –Seek stakeholder views on possible amendments –Focus on regulatory approaches that are risk- informed/performance-based SECY Issued December 27, 2010 Staff Identified 5 Potential Options 8

Potential Rulemaking Options Risk-Inform Current Part 61 Waste Classification Framework Option –Re-evaluate §61.55 waste classification tables –Apply updated ICRP dosimetry Comprehensive Revision Option –Start with blank slate –Re-do earlier Part 61 studies –Rely on new information and updated assumptions 9

Options (continued) Site-Specific Waste Acceptance Criteria Option –Modeled after DOE Order –Performance-based directive based on specific site and design –Does not rely on generic waste classification tables (§61.55) International Alignment Option –Based on IAEA Geologic Safety Guide (GSG)-1 –Focuses on all radioactive waste streams, including LLW Maintain status quo – No further action 10

Next Steps First NRC Public Meeting on March 4, 2011 –Joint DOE/NRC workshop – nrc/regulatory/rulemaking/potential- rulemaking/potential-part61-revision.htmlhttp:// nrc/regulatory/rulemaking/potential- rulemaking/potential-part61-revision.html Future Public Meetings Expected –Timetable depends on completion of ongoing site- specific analysis rulemaking (SECY ) –Schedule also depends upon resource availability 11

Decommissioning Planning Final Rule: General Information Published in the Federal Register on June 17, 2011 Effective Date for licensees: December 17, 2012 Date for Agreement State adoption of compatible regulations: December 17, 2015 NRC Contact: Rob MacDougall