WAC 246-232-060   Termination of licenses and decommissioning of sites and separate buildings or outdoor areas.  (1) Each specific licensee shall immediately notify the department in writing when the licensee decides to permanently discontinue all activities involving materials authorized under the license and request termination of the license. This notification and request for termination of the license must include the reports and information specified in subsection (3)(c) and (d) of this section. The licensee is subject to the provisions of subsections (3) and (4) of this section, as applicable.

     (2) No less than thirty days before the expiration date specified in a specific license, the licensee shall either:

     (a) Submit an application for license renewal under WAC 246-235-050; or

     (b) Notify the department in writing if the licensee decides not to renew the license.

     (3) If a specific licensee does not submit an application for license renewal under WAC 246-235-050, the licensee shall on or before the expiration date specified in the license:

     (a) Terminate use of radioactive material;

     (b) Properly dispose of radioactive material;

     (c) Submit a completed departmental form "Certificate of disposition of radioactive material" or equivalent; and

     (d) Submit a radiation survey report to confirm the absence of radioactive materials or establish the levels of radioactive contamination, unless the department determines a radiation survey report is not necessary.

     (i) If no radioactive contamination attributable to activities conducted under the license is detected, the licensee shall submit a certification that no detectable radioactive contamination was found. If the information submitted under this paragraph and subsection (3)(c) and (d) of this section is adequate, the department will notify the licensee in writing that the license is terminated.

     (ii) If detectable levels of radioactive contamination attributable to activities conducted under the license are found, the license continues in effect beyond the expiration date, if necessary, with respect to possession of residual radioactive material present as contamination until the licensee meets the criteria established in chapter 246-246 WAC and the department notifies the licensee in writing that the license is terminated. During this time, the licensee is subject to the provisions of subsection (4) of this section. In addition to the information submitted under subsection (3)(c) and (d) of this section, the licensee shall submit a plan for decontamination, if necessary.

     (4) Each specific licensee who possesses residual radioactive material under subsection (3)(d)(ii) of this section, following the expiration of the facility and/or equipment date specified in the license, shall:

     (a) Be limited to actions, involving radioactive material related to decontamination and preparation for release in accordance with chapter 246-246 WAC; and

     (b) Continue to control entry to restricted areas until:

     (i) Such areas are suitable for release in accordance with chapter 246-246 WAC;

     (ii) Contaminated equipment complies with guidance contained in WAC 246-232-140, Schedule D; and

     (iii) The department notifies the licensee in writing that the license is terminated.

     (5) Each general licensee licensed under the provisions of WAC 246-233-040, shall immediately notify the department in writing when the licensee decides to discontinue all activities involving radioactive materials authorized under the general license. Such notification shall include a description of how the generally licensed material was disposed and the results of facility surveys, if applicable, to confirm the absence of radioactive materials.

     (6) Within sixty days of the occurrence of any of the following, each specific licensee shall provide notification to the department in writing of such occurrence, and either begin decommissioning its site, or any separate building or outdoor area that contains residual radioactivity so that the site, building, or outdoor area is suitable for release in accordance with chapter 246-246 WAC, or submit within twelve months of notification a decommissioning plan, if required by subsection (10)(a) of this section, and begin decommissioning upon approval of that plan if:

     (a) The license has expired or has been revoked by the department; or

     (b) The licensee has decided to permanently cease principal activities, as defined in this section, at the entire site or in any separate building or outdoor area that contains residual radioactivity such that the site, building, or outdoor area is unsuitable for release in accordance with chapter 246-246 WAC; or

     (c) No principal activities under the license have been conducted for a period of twenty-four months; or

     (d) No principal activities have been conducted for a period of twenty-four months in any separate building or outdoor area that contains residual radioactivity such that the building or outdoor area is unsuitable for release in accordance with chapter 246-246 WAC.

     (7) As used in this section, principal activities means activities authorized by the license which are essential to achieving the purpose(s) for which the license was issued or amended. Storage during which no licensed material is accessed for use or disposal and activities incidental to decontamination or decommissioning are not principal activities.

     (8) Coincident with the notification required by subsection (6) of this section, the licensee shall maintain in effect all decommissioning financial assurances established by the licensee pursuant to WAC 246-235-075 or as required by this section. The amount of the financial assurance must be increased, or may be decreased, as appropriate, to cover the detailed cost estimate for decommissioning established pursuant to subsection (10)(d)(v) of this section. Following approval of the decommissioning plan, a licensee may reduce the amount of the financial assurance as decommissioning proceeds and radiological contamination is reduced at the site with the approval of the department.

     (9) The department may grant a request to extend the time periods established in subsection (6) of this section if the department determines that this relief is not detrimental to the public health and safety and is otherwise in the public interest. The request must be submitted no later than thirty days before notification pursuant to subsection (6) of this section. The schedule for decommissioning set forth in subsection (6) of this section may not commence until the department has made a determination on the request.

     (10)(a) A decommissioning plan must be submitted if required by license condition or if the procedures and activities necessary to carry out decommissioning of the site or separate building or outdoor area have not been previously approved by the department and these procedures could increase potential health and safety impacts to workers or to the public, such as in any of the following cases:

     (i) Procedures would involve techniques not applied routinely during cleanup or maintenance operations;

     (ii) Workers would be entering areas not normally occupied where surface contamination and radiation levels are significantly higher than routinely encountered during operation;

     (iii) Procedures could result in significantly greater airborne concentrations of radioactive materials than are present during operation; or

     (iv) Procedures could result in significantly greater releases of radioactive material to the environment than those associated with operation.

     (b) The department may approve an alternate schedule for submittal of a decommissioning plan required pursuant to subsection (6) of this section if the department determines that the alternative schedule is necessary to the effective conduct of decommissioning operations and presents no undue risk from radiation to the public health and safety and is otherwise in the public interest.

     (c) Procedures such as those listed in (a) of this subsection with potential health and safety impacts may not be carried out prior to approval of the decommissioning plan.

     (d) The proposed decommissioning plan for the site or separate building or outdoor area must include:

     (i) A description of the conditions of the site or separate building or outdoor area sufficient to evaluate the acceptability of the plan;

     (ii) A description of planned decommissioning activities;

     (iii) A description of methods used to ensure protection of workers and the environment against radiation hazards during decommissioning;

     (iv) A description of the planned final radiation survey;

     (v) An updated detailed cost estimate for decommissioning, comparison of that estimate with present funds set aside for decommissioning, and a plan for assuring the availability of adequate funds for completion of decommissioning;

     (vi) A description of the physical security plan and material control and accounting plan provisions in place during decommissioning;

     (vii) For decommissioning plans calling for completion of decommissioning later than twenty-four months after plan approval, the plan shall include a justification for the delay based on the criteria in subsection (12) of this section.

     (e) The proposed decommissioning plan will be approved by the department if the information therein demonstrates that the decommissioning will be completed as soon as practicable and that the health and safety of workers and the public will be adequately protected.

     (11)(a) Except as provided in subsection (12) of this section, licensees shall complete decommissioning of the site or separate building or outdoor area as soon as practicable but no later than twenty-four months following the initiation of decommissioning.

     (b) Except as provided in subsection (12) of this section, when decommissioning involves the entire site, the licensee shall request license termination as soon as practicable but no later than twenty-four months following the initiation of decommissioning.

     (12) The department may approve a request for an alternative schedule for completion of decommissioning of the site or separate building or outdoor area, and license termination if appropriate, if the department determines that the alternative is warranted by consideration of the following:

     (a) Whether it is technically feasible to complete decommissioning within the allotted twenty-four-month period;

     (b) Whether sufficient waste disposal capacity is available to allow completion of decommissioning within the allotted twenty-four-month period;

     (c) Whether a significant volume reduction in wastes requiring disposal will be achieved by allowing short-lived radionuclides to decay;

     (d) Whether a significant reduction in radiation exposure to workers can be achieved by allowing short-lived radionuclides to decay; and

     (e) Other site-specific factors which the department may consider appropriate on a case-by-case basis, such as the regulatory requirements of other government agencies, lawsuits, groundwater treatment activities, monitored natural groundwater restoration, actions that could result in more environmental harm than deferred cleanup, and other factors beyond the control of the licensee.

     (13) As the final step in decommissioning, the licensee shall:

     (a) Certify the disposition of all licensed material, including accumulated wastes, by submitting a completed certificate of disposition of radioactive material or equivalent information; and

     (b) Conduct a radiation survey of the premises where the licensed activities were carried out and submit a report of the results of this survey, unless the licensee demonstrates in some other manner that the premises are suitable for release in accordance with the criteria for decommissioning in chapter 246-246 WAC. The licensee shall, as appropriate:

     (i) Report levels of gamma radiation in units of millisieverts (microroentgen) per hour at one meter from surfaces, and report levels of radioactivity, including alpha and beta, in units of megabecquerels (disintegrations per minute or microcuries) per one hundred square centimeters -- removable and fixed -- for surfaces, megabecquerels (microcuries) per milliliter for water, and becquerels (picocuries) per gram for solids such as soils or concrete; and

     (ii) Specify the survey instrument(s) used and certify that each instrument is properly calibrated and tested.

     (14) Specific licenses, including expired licenses, will be terminated by written notice to the licensee when the department determines that:

     (a) Radioactive material has been properly disposed;

     (b) Reasonable effort has been made to eliminate residual radioactive contamination, if present; and

     (c)(i) A radiation survey has been performed which demonstrates that the premises are suitable for release in accordance with the criteria for decommissioning in chapter 246-246 WAC; or

     (ii) Other information submitted by the licensee is sufficient to demonstrate that the premises are suitable for release in accordance with the criteria for decommissioning in chapter 246-246 WAC; and

     (d) Records required by subsections (16) and (18) of this section have been received.

     (15) Specific licenses for uranium and thorium milling are exempt from subsections (6)(d), (9) and (10) of this section with respect to reclamation of tailings impoundments and/or waste disposal areas.

     (16) Prior to license termination, each licensee authorized to possess radioactive material with a half-life greater than one hundred twenty days, in an unsealed form, shall forward the following records to the department:

     (a) Records of disposal required by WAC 246-221-230 (8)(a); and

     (b) Records of results required by WAC 246-221-230 (7)(h).

     (17) If licensed activities are transferred or assigned in accordance with WAC 246-232-050(2), each licensee authorized to possess radioactive material, with a half-life greater than one hundred twenty days, in an unsealed form, shall transfer the following records to the new licensee and the new licensee will be responsible for maintaining these records until the license is terminated:

     (a) Records of disposal required by WAC 246-221-230 (8)(a); and

     (b) Records of results required by WAC 246-221-230 (7)(h).

     (18) Prior to license termination, each licensee shall forward the records required by WAC 246-235-075(6) to the department.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 70.98.050. 04-04-055, § 246-232-060, filed 1/30/04, effective 3/1/04; 00-07-085, § 246-232-060, filed 3/15/00, effective 4/15/00; 99-15-105, § 246-232-060, filed 7/21/99, effective 8/21/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.98.050 and 70.98.080. 97-08-095, § 246-232-060, filed 4/2/97, effective 5/3/97; 91-15-112 (Order 184), § 246-232-060, filed 7/24/91, effective 8/24/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.040. 91-02-049 (Order 121), recodified as § 246-232-060, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.98.080. 83-19-050 (Order 2026), § 402-19-330, filed 9/16/83.]