[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 245 (Monday, December 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71171-71172]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31426]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 40-8903]


Notice of Receipt of License Amendment Request From the Homestake 
Mining Company To Request an Extension of Reclamation Milestones for 
Its Grants, New Mexico Facility, and Opportunity To Request a Hearing

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of consideration of license and opportunity to request a 
hearing.

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DATES: A request for a hearing must be filed within 30 days of the 
publication of this Federal Register notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William von Till, Fuel Cycle 
Facilities Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, Office 
of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. Telephone: (301) 415-6251; Fax: 
(301) 415-5955; and/or by email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    The U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has received, by 
letters dated October 28, 2003 (ML033030501), and October 29, 2003 
(ML033040196), a request from Homestake Mining Company (HMC) for 
approval of a license amendment to Materials License SUA-1471 to extend 
its reclamation milestones.
    The Homestake facility is an inactive uranium recovery fuel cycle 
facility that is undergoing surface reclamation and groundwater 
remediation. Milestones for reclamation are outlined in the Homestake 
Source Material License SUA-1471 in condition 36A and B. Surface 
reclamation milestones are dependent on groundwater remediation at the 
site. Homestake proposes to extend the milestones due to active 
groundwater remediation activities. Groundwater remediation at the site 
is under the oversight of the NRC per Source Material License SUA-1471 
(10 CFR part 40) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and 
Liability Act of 1980, as amended (CERCLA). A Memorandum of 
Understanding dated December 14, 1993, outlines the NRC and EPA roles 
in the clean-up of groundwater at the site. Surface reclamation 
activities are under the oversight of the NRC. HMC proposes to extend 
the reclamation milestones for the large tailings pile (LTP) and small 
tailings pile (STP) as follows:
    LTP--Final radon barrier placement--top of pile from December 31, 
2003, to December 31, 2012.
    LTP--Erosion protection layer placement--top of pile from September 
30, 2004, to September 30, 2013.
    STP--Final radon barrier placement from December 31, 2012, to 
September 30, 2013.
    STP--Erosion protection layer placement from September 30, 2013, to 
December 31, 2013.
    Corrective Action Plan completion from May 1, 2010, to December 31, 
2011.
    The NRC staff will review HMC's request to extend reclamation 
milestones with 10 CFR part 40, using NUREG-1620 Rev. 1, ``Standard 
Review Plan for the Review of a Reclamation Plan for Mill Tailings 
Sites Under Title II of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act 
of 1978'' and other applicable agency regulations and guidance. If the 
NRC approves HMC's request, the approval will be documented in an 
amendment to HMC's license. The NRC staff will consult with the EPA 
since the proposed milestones included groundwater corrective action 
completion.

II. Opportunity To Request a Hearing

    The NRC hereby provides notice that this is a proceeding on an 
application for an amendment of a license falling within the scope of 
subpart L, ``Informal Hearing Procedures for Adjudications in Materials 
and Operator Licensing

[[Page 71172]]

Proceedings' of the NRC's rules and practice for domestic licensing 
proceedings in 10 CFR part 2. Pursuant to Sec.  2.1205(a), any person 
whose interest may be affected by this proceeding may file a request 
for a hearing in accordance with Sec.  2.1205(d). A request for a 
hearing must be filed within 30 days of the publication of this Federal 
Register notice.
    The request for a hearing must be filed with the Office of the 
Secretary, either:
    (1) By delivery to the Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff of the 
Office of the Secretary of the Commission at One White Flint North, 
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852, between 7:45 a.m. and 4:15 
p.m., Federal workdays; or
    (2) By mail or telegram addressed to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention: Rulemaking and 
Adjudications Staff. Because of continuing disruptions in the delivery 
of mail to United States Government offices, it is requested that 
requests for hearing also be transmitted to the Secretary of the 
Commission, either by means of facsimile transmission to (301) 415-
1101, or by email to [email protected].
    In accordance with 10 CFR 2.1205(f), each request for a hearing 
must also be served, by delivering it personally or by mail, to:
    (1) The applicant, Homestake Mining Company, 6719-D Academey Road, 
NE., Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109, Attention: Mr. Alan D. Cox; and
    (2) The NRC staff, by delivery to the Office of the General 
Counsel, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 
20852, between 7:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m., Federal workdays, or by mail 
addressed to the Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Because of continuing disruptions in 
the delivery of mail to United States government offices, it is 
requested that requests for hearing also be transmitted to the Office 
of the General Counsel, either by means of facsimile transmission to 
(301) 415-3725, or by email to [email protected].
    In addition to meeting other applicable requirements of 10 CFR part 
2 of the NRC's regulations, a request for a hearing filed by a person 
other than an applicant must describe in detail:
    (1) The interest of the requestor;
    (2) How that interest may be affected by the results of the 
proceeding, including the reasons why the requestor should be permitted 
a hearing, with particular reference to the factors set out in Sec.  
2.1205(h);
    (3) The requestor's areas of concern about the licensing activity 
that is the subject matter of the proceeding; and
    (4) The circumstances establishing that the request for a hearing 
is timely in accordance with Sec.  2.1205(d).

III. Further Information

    In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's ``Rules of Practice,'' 
details with respect to this action, including the application for 
amendment and supporting documentation, are available electronically 
for public inspection and copying from the Publicly Available Records 
(PARS) component of NRC's document system (ADAMS). ADAMS is accessible 
from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.

    Dated in Rockville, Maryland, this 12th day of December, 2003.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
William von Till,
Project Manager, Fuel Cycle Facilities Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle 
Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 03-31426 Filed 12-19-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P