Update on National Disposition Planning

1. Frank MarcinowskiDeputy Assistant Secretary for Regulatory ComplianceEnvironmental ManagementMay 23, 20072007 Federal Facility Task Force Meeting Update on National Disposition Planning

2. Topics for Consideration • Disposal policy • Low-level and mixed low-level radioactive waste (LLW/ MLLW) • Disposition highlights • LLW/MLLW disposition data • LLW/MLLW Corporate Board • LLW /MLLW National Disposition Strategy • Greater-than-Class C LLW • Transuranic waste

3. Order 435.1 Establishes DOE Disposal Policy • If practical, disposal on the site where generated • If on-site disposal not available, at another DOE disposal facility • At commercial disposal facilities if compliant, protective of safety and health, cost effective, and in the best interest of the government Unchanged

4. Low Level and Mixed Low Level Radioactive Waste (LLW/MLLW)

5. LLW/MLLW Disposal Issues & Highlights • Hanford and Nevada Test Site (NTS) host regional disposal facilities for DOE LLW and MLLW disposal • Off-site waste shipments to Hanford remain suspended • NTS has MLLW disposal through November 2010 • On-site LLW disposal at Idaho National Laboratory planned to end in 2009, due to CERCLA closure plans; some possibility of an extension to ensure capacity for RH LLW is available

6. Other LLW/MLLW Issues & Highlights • Some DOE sites seeking to expand use of onsite CERCLA cells • Operations are limited at TSCA Incinerator • “Problematic waste streams” still exist… and future facility D&D will identify more – some streams utilize commercial treatment • Disposal of greater-than-class C (GTCC) LLW Environmental Impact Statement in progress • Notice of Intent followed by scoping meetings planned for this Summer

7. LLW/MLLW Disposition Forecasting • Life-cycle waste forecasting has resumed • Baseline Disposition Data (BLDD) • Data requirements defined with field cooperation • Waste stream definition streamlined to ensure useful data is collected without undue cost/schedule burden on sites • Updated at least annually, reviewed and approved through the DOE/EM corporate information system (IPABS-IS) • Data is shared via the Waste Management Information System (WIMS) (http://wims.arc.fiu.edu/WIMS) • This year’s data set includes new data from other programs (NNSA incl. Naval Reactors, NE and SC) • Current data is LLW/MLLW; TRU data will be added when the updated TRU waste inventory is available (later this year)

8. WIMS Waste Disposition Map Example

9. WIMS Geographic Disposition Map Example

10. Scope of LLW/MLLW Disposition Data • Target data sources are projects and activities that have documented baselines • Some projects have yet to be fully defined, baselined or approved and are not included in the planning data set • e.g., West Valley final end state, Portsmouth D&D, GNEP • EM sites have since updated their Five Year Plan Summaries; data under review to resolve any inconsistencies in the 2008 update

11. LLW/MLLW Disposition Trends • On-site disposal cells continue to serve large site cleanup programs at Hanford, Idaho, and Oak Ridge • Projected waste volume to off-site disposal continues downward trend as Rocky Flats and Ohio projects have concluded • Significant use of commercial waste treatment and disposal is expected in spite of smaller volumes • Large uncertainties remain in out-year forecasts due to unplanned/uncertain work scope at several key sites

12. Off Site LLW/MLLW Disposition has Declined

13. WIMS LLW/MLLW Disposal Data Forecast Most disposal is from onsite generators

14. LLW Corporate Board • Establishes complex-wide configuration control • Increases integration and accountability • Modeled after TRU board, but tailored for LLW and MLLW • Inter-site shipping schedule/tracking • Allocation of DOE waste management resources • Off-site DOE disposal facilities, including TSCAI • Planning use of commercial services • Evaluation of complex wide issues and strategy • Participation • Chaired by Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regulatory Compliance (EM-10) • Two-level Board: Federal and contractors representatives from generating sites, appointed by Site Managers • Other sites and commercial partners may attend • Implement in FY 08

15. National Disposition Strategy • Provides framework by which DOE will manage LLW/MLLW disposition • Discusses current DOE and commercial LLW/MLLW treatment & disposal resources and identifies potential bottlenecks • Discusses tools and methodologies to strengthen and integrate DOE’s LLW/MLLW disposition management • Draft Revision 0 advanced copy distributed last September • Next version, Revision 1, will: • Address all comments • Include all DOE LLW/MLLW (Revision 0 was focused on EM) • Reflect 2007 WIMS data • Involve the LLW Corporate Board • Incorporate revised cost guidance • Follow recent technology development roadmap process for sharing with stakeholders • Schedule is not firm, but aiming for Fall 2007

16. Greater-than-Class C LLW

17. Legislative Drivers • Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985 • DOE responsible for developing GTCC LLW disposal capability • GTCC must be disposed of in a facility licensed by the U.S. NRC • Section 631 of Energy Policy Act of 2005 • Submitted required Report to Congress dated July 2006 on EIS proposed schedule and estimated cost • Requires DOE to submit Report to Congress on disposal alternatives and await Congressional action before issuing ROD (i.e., submit report when final EIS is issued)

18. What is GTCC LLW? • Generated from NRC or Agreement State licensed activities • Contains radionuclides at concentrations that exceed the limits for Class C radioactive waste in 10 CFR 61.55 • Includes activated metals from the decommissioning of nuclear reactors, sealed sources, and other LLW resulting from manufacture, research, and industrial activities • The NRC has categorized LLW into four classes (Class A, B, C, and GTCC) based on the concentration of specific short-lived and long-lived radionuclides, with Class C having the highest concentration limits. • Must be disposed of in geologic repository unless other methods proposed to and approved by NRC

19. NRC LLW Classifications Class A Class B Class C GTCC Concentration of Short-Lived or Long-Lived Radionuclides DOE Classifications “GTCC-like” LLW Concentration of Short-Lived or Long-Lived Radionuclides Non- Defense TRU What is DOE “GTCC-Like” LLW? • Certain DOE LLW and Non-Defense TRU that may lack a disposal pathway

20. GTCCLLW & DOE GTCC-Like Inventory GTCC LLW Total Estimated Volume/Curies = 2,005 m3 @ 112 MCi • Very little (134 m3) currently available for disposal • Activated Metals from nuclear utilities comprise 71% of the total activity (110 MCi) & will not be available for disposal until 2035-2062. • Excludes stored inventory of sealed sources recovered by the NNSA Offsite Source Recovery Project as those sources have an identified path to disposal (e.g., WIPP) DOE GTCC-Like Total Estimated Volume/Curies = 2,948 m3 @ 42 MCi • Most (~1,900 m3) is potential non-defense TRU from West Valley Demonstration Project and proposed Radioisotope Power System project • Does not include potential GNEP waste due to early stages of that project (a) There are sealed sources currently possessed by NRC licensees that may become GTCC LLW when no longer needed by the licensee; the estimated volume and activity of those sources are included in the projected inventory.

21. GTCC Notice of Intent (NOI) • Initiates the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process • Identifies proposed federal action • Identifies proposed disposal methods/locations for EIS analysis • Updates GTCC waste inventories • Proposes that both GTCC and GTCC-like waste be analyzed in the EIS • Announces decision to include DOE “GTCC-like” waste • Responds to public comments on the Advance NOI (issued May 11, 2005) • Requests public comments on EIS scoping issues & announces public scoping meeting dates/locations • U.S. EPA will participate as Cooperating Agency; NRC will be Commenting Agency The draft NOI has undergone extensive review by Field and Headquarters Offices and U.S. EPA

22. GTCC EIS Schedule • Advanced Notice of Intent  May 11, 2005 • Notice of Intent  Spring ‘07 • Public scoping meetings – Summer ‘07 • Draft EIS  2nd Qtr FY 08 • Final EIS  Early FY 09 • Report to Congress on Disposal Alternatives  Early FY 09 (submit when final EIS is issued) • Record of Decision  TBD (following Congressional action on disposal alternatives report)

23. Transuranic Waste (TRU)

24. DOE Continues to Optimize TRU Disposition • WIPP is managed as a National program • Current efforts are focused on optimization: • In FY 1999, averaged 1.5 shipments/week • In FY 2007, averaging ~22 shipments/week, filling the “pipeline” (creating characterized backlog) • Fully utilizing capacity • Over 48,000 m3 of TRU waste disposed since March 1999 • Over 5,700 truck shipments from eight sites completed as of 5/21/07 Final shipment departing RFETS

25. WIPP is receiving remote-handled TRU • The first remote-handled transuranic waste (RH-TRU) shipment left Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and arrived at WIPP on 1/23/07 • As of 5/21/07, WIPP has received 23 RH-TRU shipments from INL • Since March, INL has been making 2 RH-TRU shipments per week to WIPP; INL is expected to increase to three shipments in early June, and four shipments around the August 2007 timeframe