Barnwell- latest 6/15/95

[rsg@inel.gov (Russ Garcia)]

To all---

	BARNWELL INFO


1.  The majority of licenses are issued by state agencies, not NRC.  It is 
not known whether the NRC or state agencies will help make South Carolina 
rich by requiring that waste be shipped for disposal, in lieu of indefinite 
storage.  In agreement states, these decisions will probably differ 
state-by-state, waste stream-by-waste stream and maybe even case-by-case.  
One can expect, however, that the regulatory bias against waste storage has 
not gone away, and that regulators will "frown upon" indefinite storage.

2.  The statement of the Chairman of the Southeast Compact is attached.  
Bill Newberry spoke with SE Compact staff.  They do not know what will 
happen next.  The Compact has enough money to continue this summer's 
critical testing program at the NC site.  But longer term funding may become 
a problem since Barnwell fees were the compact's main source of revenue.  
The next scheduled meeting is in August, and no one yet has called for an 
emergency meeting.

3.  SC's withdrawal will become effective when the governor signs the 
legislation, which he undoubted will do.

4.  The state tax will apply across the board, even to waste generated 
within South Carolina.  No discounts available.  Because of Chem-Nuclear's 
monopoly situation, the SC General Assembly is studying whether to regulate 
the rates charged by the company.  

Statement by Richard S. Hodes, M.D., Chairman of the Southeast Compact 
Commission

June 13,1995

Today the South Carolina General Assembly passed legislation to withdraw 
from the Southeast Compact and establish a new compact.  The legislation, 
which allows the Barnwell disposal facility to operate beyond 1995, is 
expected to become effective by July 1 upon signature by Governor David M. 
Beasley.  

It is very unfortunate that we were not able to negotiate an acceptable 
compromise for both South Carolina and the Southeast Compact Commission to 
jointly continue the longstanding process for second site development.  I 
understand that the State of South Carolina must do what it considers to be 
in the best interest of its citizens.

South Carolina's withdrawl from the Compact will not change the Compact's 
basic mission of providing for safe LLW management for the waste generators 
in the Southeast Region.  The Southeast Compact's next regional disposal 
facility is under development in North Carolina.  A licensing decision is 
expected to be made in 1997, and the facility should become operational in 
1998.  We have received a commitment from Governor Hunt to "open a facility 
that protects both the public health and the environment."  We will continue 
to work diligently with North Carolina to attain that goal.  

Furthermore, the Commission will continue to support the efforts of other 
compacts to develop new regional disposal facilities.  The long-term 
availability of environmentally sound waste disposal facilities is essential 
to the continued use of radioactive materials.  Nuclear power and other 
isotope applications remain a critical part of the nation's economy.
Take care for now!

Russ Garcia (rsg@inel.gov)
National Low-Level Waste Management Program
P.O. Box 1625
Idaho Falls, ID  83415-2420

ph: 208-526-0483
fax: 208-526-9165