Geology, public policy, and the North Carolina low level radioactive waste (LLRW) disposal facility project

Conference · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:6843279

Wooten, R M; Gardner, C H ^[1]

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1. North Carolina Geological Survey, Raleigh, NC (United States)

North Carolina is in the process of siting a LLRW disposal facility as the next host state for the Southwest Compact. After two years of site characterization studies at two technically challenging sites, the LLRW Management Authority (the Authority), will submit a license application for the preferred site. One potential site is in unconsolidated Tertiary and Cretaceous deposits of the inner Coastal Plain, the other in fractured sedimentary rocks of the Triassic Deep River Basin. Involved since 1986, the North Carolina Geological Survey (NCGS) provides technical advice to the Division of radiation Protection, the state regulatory agency authorized to approve or deny a license. With the multi-million dollar project behind schedule, and millions of dollars over budget, in February 1992 the Southeast Compact Commission established three project milestones (1) submit license application by December 31, 1993; (2) approve license by March 15, 1994; (3) open facility by January 1, 1996. This ambitious project schedule and budget limitations have created difficulties for the Authority, their contractor, and state regulatory agencies in resolving technical issues and meeting deadlines. The Division of Radiation Protection has planned a structured, rigorously documented license review process. Meeting the license applications review milestone depends on the timely resolution of technical issues during two rounds of interrogatories. Engineering/environmental geology is but one of several inseparable geologic aspects important to resolving these technique issues. Key disciplines include hydrogeology, structural geology, stratigraphy, geotechnical engineering and geochemistry. Integrating these and other disciplines is a key task for regulators striving for a defensible licensing decision that is based on technical requirements.

• OSTI ID: 6843279
• Report Number(s): CONF-9404221--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 26:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540250 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (1990-)
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
GEOLOGY
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MATERIALS
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH CAROLINA
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
POLITICAL ASPECTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
USA
WASTES