F-Area Tank Farm Waste Incidental to Reprocessing

Operator: U.S. Department of Energy Docket Number: PROJ0734 Site Description: 22 underground carbon steel tanks 80-100 feet in diameter, 23 ft. high (2 closed and grouted; 4 emptied of HLW) Waste Volume:  approximately 750,000- 1,300,000 gallons of capacity per tank.

General Description of F-Area Tank Farm Waste Incidental to Reprocessing
F-Tank Farm (FTF) is a component of the overall Savannah River site.  Tanks were intended to collect and help manage liquid waste associated with the production of nuclear material during the cold war. DOE is obliged to clean and close the tanks pursuant to the Federal Facilities Agreement between itself, U.S. EPA and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.  The tanks themselves and some residual waste may be determined by the Secretary of Energy to be low-level waste.  The National Defense Authorization Act requires that DOE consult with the NRC prior to the Secretary’s Waste Determination (WD).  Following waste determination.  NRC is to monitor DOEs performance against Performance Objectives in 10 CFR Part 61.

DOE has submitted a draft WD for the entire F Tank Farm and attendant performance assessment for NRCs review in September 2010.  NRC submitted a number of requests for additional information in December 2010.  DOE’s response to the RAIs in June 2011 allowed NRC to complete a Technical Evaluation Report in October 2011.  The report included a number of recommendations that NRC believes will enhance DOEs chances of successful closure.  DOE’s WD was signed by the Secretary of Energy in April 2012.  DOE is still considering NRCs recommendations as they proceed with disposal actions at the site.