No abstract

This document addresses the conceptual design parameters associated with a proposed onsite remote-handled low-level waste disposal facility. A new onsite facility has been identified as an alternative for providing continued remote-handled low-level waste disposal capability in support of ongoing Department of Energy missions at the Idaho site. However, a decision has not been made by the Department of Energy to develop a new onsite disposal facility. The decision, following all required analyses and evaluation of the impacts of all viable alternatives, will be made in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Use of words indicating requirements or specifying intention, such as "shall" or "will," are used for the convenience of discussion or to indicate requirements or activities that are conditioned on a decision to develop a new onsite disposal facility. Such usage should not be construed to mean that a final selection of an alternative has been made.

NOTE:This document addresses the conceptual design parameters associated with a proposed onsite remote-handled low-level waste disposal facility. A new onsite facility has been identified as an alternative for providing continued remote-handled low-level waste disposal capability in support of ongoing Department of Energy missions at the Idaho site. However, a decision has not been made by the Department of Energy to develop a new onsite disposal facility. The decision, following all required analyses and evaluation of the impacts of all viable alternatives, will be made in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Use of words indicating requirements or specifying intention, such as "shall" or "will," are used for the convenience of discussion or to indicate requirements or activities that are conditioned on a decision to develop a new onsite disposal facility. Such usage should not be construed to mean that a final selection of an alternative has been made. iii ABSTRACTThis conceptual design report addresses development of replacement remote-handled low-level waste disposal capability for the Idaho National Laboratory. Current disposal capability at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex is planned until the facility is full or until it must be closed in preparation for final remediation (approximately at the end of Fiscal Year 2017). This conceptual design report includes key project assumptions; design options considered in development of the proposed onsite disposal facility (the highest ranked alternative for providing continued uninterrupted remote-handled low-level waste disposal capability); process and facility descriptions; safety and environmental requirements that would apply to the proposed facility; and the proposed cost and schedule for funding, design, construction, and operation of the proposed onsite disposal facility.iv v EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThis conceptual design report provides documentation of plans to design, construct, and operate a proposed facility for disposal of remote-handled low-level waste (LLW) at the Idaho National Laboratory. The conceptual design report was prepared in accordance with Department of Energy Order 413.3B, "Program and Project Management for Acquisition of Capital Assets." This report, coupled with other Critical Decision (CD)-1 documentation, provides information needed by the Department of Energy to make a determination to proceed with the project execution phase and establish a preliminary baseline for the proposed project. The following sections are included in the conceptual design report:Provides an introduction and overview of the project. It includes a description of the mission need for the Remote-Handled LLW Disposal Project; alternatives considered in developing the mission need; and identification of the highest ranked alternative to establish uninterrupted remote-handled LLW disposal capability for the Idaho National Laboratory.Section 2 Provides background information on the project. It includes a description of project assumption...

This report identifies and compares on-site and off-site disposal options for the disposal of contact-handled and remote-handled low-level waste generated by the Idaho National Laboratory and its tenants. Potential disposal options are screened for viability by waste type resulting in a short list of options for further consideration. The most credible options are selected after a systematic consideration of cost, schedule constraints, and risk.In order to holistically address the approach for low-level waste disposal, options are compiled into comprehensive disposal schemes, that is, alternative scenarios. Each alternative scenario addresses the disposal path for all low-level waste types over the period of interest. The alternative scenarios are compared and ranked using cost, risk and complexity to arrive at the recommended approach. Schedule alignment with disposal needs is addressed to ensure that all waste types are managed appropriately.The recommended alternative scenario for the disposal of low-level waste based on this analysis is to build a disposal facility at the Idaho National Laboratory Site.iii iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report addresses low-level radioactive waste (LLW) that is currently generated and disposed at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA) manages the INL Site for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The bulk of the INL Site's LLW is currently disposed at the Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA) located at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC). BEA's contract includes responsibility to develop a detailed plan that describes the steps necessary for ensuring disposal capability will be available for contact-handled (CH) and remote-handled (RH) low-level waste ( This report presents an analysis of options for disposal of CH and RH LLW generated by the INL and its tenants, specifically Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project (AMWTP), the Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP), as well as the Naval Reactors Facility (NRF). While the bulk of the CH LLW can be disposed off-site, RH LLW, particularly activated metals, have certain radionuclides and high radiation levels that result in increased costs and risks for off-site transportation and disposal.This report first discusses the options for off-site disposal of CH LLW and RH LLW. For on-site disposal options, the schedule and costs for a new facility are presented for both CH and RH LLW. The various options for disposal of each waste stream are combined into credible alternative scenarios and described in Section 5. This section forms the basis for the recommended alternative scenario that achieves disposal of all of the INL Site's predicted LLW to be generated through 2035, when the INL Site is to complete its cleanup mission under a settlement agreement with the State of Idaho.The alternative scenarios are presented in the report:Alternative Scenario 1-All LLW disposed on-site in a new facility Alternative Scenario 2-All LLW disposed off-site at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) Alternative Scenario 3-CH LLW, RH LLW...