Other Regulations - doe-std-1128-98

DOE-STD-1128-98

Section V of DOE Order 5400.5, Ch.2, Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment

(DOE, 1993c), provides radiological protection requirements and guidelines for cleanup of

residual radioactive material and management of the resulting wastes and residues and

release of property. This DOE Order establishes a basic public dose limit for exposure to

residual radioactive material (in addition to naturally occurring "background" exposures) of

a 100-mrem (1-mSv) effective dose equivalent in a year. A more detailed discussion is

presented below in Section 10.1.3.

DOE O 420.1A, Facility Safety (DOE, 2002a), establishes facility safety requirements

related to: nuclear safety design, criticality safety, fire protection and natural phenomena

DOE O 231.1 Environment, Safety and Health Reporting (DOE, 1996e), ensures collection

and reporting of information on environment, safety and health that is required by law or

regulation to be collected, or that is essential for evaluating DOE operations and identifying

opportunities for improvement needed for planning purposes within the DOE.

10.1.1 Other Regulations

The D&D of most plutonium-contaminated facilities will involve cleanup of a

combination of radioactive wastes, hazardous wastes, and mixed wastes. Some

other Federal regulations not already discussed that are applicable to the cleanup

and disposal of these wastes are summarized in this section along with the DOE

guidance on implementation. This is not an all inclusive list. It is the facility

responsibility to identify applicable requirements and ensure compliance.

-- National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (USC, 1970) and 40 CFR 1500

(CEQ, 1992)

- This act established a national policy to ensure that environmental factors are

considered in any Federal agency's planning and decision making. DOE O

451.1B, National Environmental Policy Act Compliance Program (DOE,

2001d), defines DOE responsibilities and procedures to implement NEPA. The

decommissioning of a DOE plutonium facility will require a determination of

whether or not the action is a "major or significant government action

adversely affecting the environment" in accordance with NEPA. If it qualifies

as such an action, an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact

statement (EIS) will be required. An EA or EIS will need to discuss the amount

of material that will remain onsite and its effect, in addition to addressing the

alternatives. The alternatives will include retaining radioactive material onsite

under DOE control, cleaning the site to a level that would be acceptable for

unrestricted release, and the null or no-action alternative of "walking away"

from the site. If the action does not require an EA or EIS, either because the

possible adverse effects are insignificant or because decommissioning was

adequately addressed in a preoperational or other EA or EIS, then the

decommissioning can proceed in accordance with the information contained in

other applicable regulations.

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