Appendix IV to Part 960 - Types of Information for the Nomination of Sites as Suitable for Characterization
10:4.0.2.5.42.4.80.15.33 : Appendix IV
Appendix IV to Part 960 - Types of Information for the Nomination
of Sites as Suitable for Characterization
The types of information specified below are those that the DOE
expects will be included in the evidence used for evaluations and
applications of the guidelines of subparts C and D at the time of
nomination of a site as suitable for characterization. The types of
information listed under each guideline are considered to be the
most significant for the evaluation of that guideline. However, the
types of information listed under any particular guideline will be
used, as necessary, for the evaluation of any other guideline. As
stated in § 960.3-1-4-2, the DOE will use technically conservative
assumptions or extrapolations of regional data, where necessary, to
supplement this information. The information specified below will
be supplemented with conceptual models, as appropriate, and
analyses of uncertainties in the data.
Before site-characterization studies and related nongeologic
data gathering activities, the evidence is not expected to provide
precise information, but, rather, to provide a reasonable basis for
assessing the merits or shortcomings of the site against the
guidelines of subparts C and D. Consequently, the types of
information described below should be interpreted so as to
accommodate differences among sites and differences in the
information acquired before detailed studies.
The specific information required for the guideline applications
set forth in appendix III of this part is expected to differ from
site to site because of site-specific factors, both with regard to
favorable and potentially adverse conditions and with regard to the
sources and reliability of the information. The types of
information specified in this appendix will be used except where
the findings set forth in appendix III of this part can be arrived
at by reasonable alternative means or the information is not
required for the particular site.
Section 960.4-2-1 Geohydrology.
Description of the geohydrologic setting of the site, in context
with its geologic setting, in order to estimate the
pre-waste-emplacement ground-water flow conditions. The types of
information to support this description should include -
• Location and estimated hydraulic properties of aquifers,
confining units, and aquitards.
• Potential areas and modes of recharge and discharge for
aquifers.
• Regional potentiometric surfaces of aquifers.
• Likely flow paths from the repository to locations in the
expected accessible environment, as based on regional data.
• Preliminary estimates of ground-water travel times along the
likely flow paths from the repository to locations in the expected
accessible environment.
• Current use of principal aquifers and State or local
management plans for such use.
Section 960.4-2-2 Geochemistry.
Description of the geochemical and hydrochemical conditions of
the host rock, of the surrounding geohydrologic units, and along
likely ground-water paths to locations in the expected accessible
environment, in order to estimate the potential for the migration
of radionuclides. The types of information to support this
description should include -
• Petrology of the rocks.
• Mineralogy of the rocks and general characteristics of
fracture fillings.
• Geochemical and mechanical stability of the minerals under
expected repository conditions.
• General characteristics of the ground-water chemistry (e.g.,
reducing/oxidizing conditions and the principal ions that may
affect the waste package or radionuclide behavior).
• Geochemical properties of minerals as related to radionuclide
transport.
Section 960.4-2-3 Rock characteristics.
Description of the geologic and geomechanical characteristics of
the site, in context with the geologic setting, in order to
estimate the capability of the host rock and surrounding rock units
to accommodate the thermal, mechanical, chemical, and radiation
stresses expected to be induced by repository construction,
operation, and closure and by expected interactions among the
waste, host rock, ground-water, and engineered components of the
repository system. The types of information to support this
description should include -
• Approximate geology and stratigraphy of the site, including
the depth, thickness, and lateral extent of the host rock and
surrounding rock units.
• Approximate structural framework of the rock units and any
major discontinuities identified from core samples.
• Approximate thermal, mechanical, and thermomechanical
properties of the rocks, with consideration of the effects of time,
stress, temperature, dimensional scale, and any major identified
structural discontinuities.
• Estimates of the magnitude and direction of in situ stress and
of temperature in the host rock and surrounding rock units.
Section 960.4-2-4 Climatic changes.
Description of the climatic conditions of the site region, in
context with global and regional patterns of climatic changes
during the Quaternary Period, in order to project likely future
changes in climate such that potential impacts on the repository
can be estimated. The types of information to support this
description should include -
• Expected climatic conditions and cycles, based on
extrapolation of climates during the Quaternary Period.
• Geomorphology of the site region and evidence of changes due
to climatic changes.
• Estimated effects of expected climatic cycles on the
surface-water and the ground-water systems.
Section 960.4-2-5 Erosion.
Description of the structure, stratigraphy, and geomorphology of
the site, in context with the geologic setting, in order to
estimate the depth of waste emplacement and the likelihood for
erosional processes to uncover the waste in less than one million
years. The types of information to support this description should
include -
• Depth, thickness, and lateral extent of the host rock and the
overlying rock units.
• Lithology of the stratigraphic units above the host rock.
• Nature and rates of geomorphic processes during the Quaternary
Period.
Section 960.4-2-6 Dissolution.
Description of the stratigraphy, structure, hydrology, and
geochemistry of the site, in context with the geologic setting, to
delineate the approximate limits of subsurface rock dissolution, if
any. This description should include such information as the
following:
• The stratigraphy of the site, including rock units largely
comprised of water-soluble minerals.
• The approximate extent and configuration of features
indicative of dissolution within the geologic setting.
Section 960.4-2-7 Tectonics.
Description of the tectonic setting of the site, in context with
its geologic setting, in order to project the tectonic stability of
the site over the next 10,000 years and to identify tectonic
features and processes that could be reasonably expected to have a
potentially adverse effect on the performance of the repository.
The types of information to support this description should include
-
• The tectonic history and framework of the geologic setting and
the site.
• Quaternary faults in the geologic setting, including their
length, displacement, and any information regarding the age of
latest movement.
• Active tectonic processes, such as uplift, diapirism, tilting,
subsidence, faulting, and volcanism.
• Estimate of the geothermal gradient.
• Estimate of the regional in situ stress field.
• The historical seismicity of the geologic setting.
Section 960.4-2-8 Human interference. Section 960.4-2-8-1 Natural
resources.
Description of the mineral and energy resources of the site, in
order to project whether past or future exploration and recovery
could have a potentially adverse effect on the performance of the
repository. The types of information to support this description
should include -
• Known occurrences of energy and mineral resources, including
ground water.
• Estimates of the present and projected value of these
resources compared with resources contained in other areas of
similar size in the geologic setting.
• Past and present drilling and mining operations in the
vicinity of the site.
Section 960.4-2-8-2 Site ownership and control.
Description of the ownership of land for the geologic-repository
operations area and the controlled area, in order to evaluate
whether the DOE can obtain ownership of, and control access to, the
site. The types of information to support this description should
include -
• Present land ownership.
Section 960.5-2-1 Population density and distribution.
Description of the population density and distribution of the
site region, in order to identify highly populated areas and the
nearest 1 mile by 1 mile area having a population greater than
1,000 persons. The types of information to support this description
should include -
• The most-recent U.S. census, including population composition,
distribution, and density.
Section 960.5-2-2 Site ownership and control.
Description of current ownership of land, including surface and
subsurface mineral and water rights, in order to evaluate whether
the DOE can obtain control of land within the projected restricted
area. The types of information to support this description should
include -
• Present land ownership.
Section 960.5-2-3 Meteorology.
The meteorological setting, as determined from the closest
recording station, in order to project meteorological conditions
during repository operation and closure and their potential effects
on the transport of airborne emissions. The types of information to
support this description should include -
• Wind and atmospheric-dispersion characteristics.
• Precipitation characteristics.
• Extreme weather phenomena.
Section 960.5-2-4 Offsite installations and operations.
Description of offsite installations and operations in the
vicinity of the site in order to estimate their projected effects
on repository construction, operation, or closure. The types of
information to support this description should include -
• Location and nature of nearby industrial, transportation, and
military installations and operations, including atomic energy
defense activities.
Section 960.5-2-5 Environmental quality.
Description of environmental conditions in order to estimate
potential impacts on public health and welfare and on environmental
quality. The types of information to support this description
should include -
• Applicable Federal, State, and local procedural and
substantive environmental requirements.
• Existing air quality and trends.
• Existing surface-water and ground-water quality and
quantity.
• Existing land resources and uses.
• Existing terrestrial and aquatic vegetation and wildlife.
• Location of any identified critical habitats for threatened or
endangered species.
• Existing aesthetic characteristics.
• Location of components of the National Park System, the
National Wildlife Refuge System, the National Wild and Scenic
Rivers System, the National Wilderness Preservation System, or
National Forest Land.
• Location of significant State or regional protected resource
areas, such as State parks, wildlife areas, or historical
areas.
• Location of significant Native American resources such as
major Indian religious sites, or other sites of unique cultural
interest.
Section 960.5-2-6 Socioeconomic impacts.
Description of the socioeconomic conditions of the site,
including population density and distribution, economics, community
services and facilities, social conditions, and fiscal and
government structure, in order to estimate the impacts that might
result from site characterization and from the development of a
repository at that site. The types of information to support this
description should include -
• Population composition, density, and distribution.
• Economic base and economic activity, including major sectors
of local economy.
• Employment distribution and trends by economic sector.
• Resource usage.
• Community services and infrastructure, including trends in use
and current capacity utilization.
• Housing supply and demand.
• Life style and indicators of the quality of life.
• Existing social problems.
• Sources of, and trends in, local government expenditures and
revenues.
Section 960.5-2-7 Transportation.
Description of the transportation facilities in the vicinity of
the site in order to evaluate existing or required access routes or
improvements. The types of information to support this description
should include -
• Estimates of the overall cost and risk of transporting waste
to the site.
• Description of the road and rail network between the site and
the nearest Interstate highways and major rail lines; also,
description of the waterway system, if any.
• Analyses of the adequacy of the existing regional
transportation network to handle waste shipments; the movement of
supplies for repository construction, operation, and closure;
removal of nonradioactive waste from the site; and the
transportation of the labor force.
• Improvements anticipated to be required in the transportation
network and their feasibility, cost, and environmental impacts.
• Compatibility of the required transportation network
improvements with the local and regional transportation and
land-use plans.
• Analysis of weather impacts on transportation.
• Analysis of emergency response requirements and capabilities
related to transportation.
Section 960.5-2-8 Surface characteristics.
Description of the surface characteristics of the site, in order
to evaluate whether repository construction, operation, and closure
are feasible on the basis of site characteristics that influence
those activities. The types of information to support this
description should include -
• Topography of the site.
• Existing and planned surface bodies of water.
• Definition of areas of landslides and other potentially
unstable slopes, poorly drained material, or materials of low
bearing strength or of high liquefaction potential.
Section 960.5-2-9 Rock characteristics.
Description of the geologic and geomechanical characteristics of
the site, in context with the geologic setting, in order to project
the capability of the host rock and the surrounding rock units to
provide the space required for the underground facility and safe
underground openings during repository construction, operation, and
closure. The types of information to support this description
should include -
• Depth, thickness, and lateral extent of the host rock.
• Stratigraphic and structural features within the host rock and
adjacent rock units.
• Thermal, mechanical, and thermomechanical properties and
constructibility characteristics of the rocks, with consideration
of the effects of time, stress, temperature, dimensional scale, and
any major identified structural discontinuities.
• Fluid inclusions and gas content in the host rock.
• Estimates of the magnitude and direction of in situ stress and
of temperature in the host rock.
Section 960.5-2-10 Hydrology.
Description of the hydrology of the site, in context with its
geologic setting, in order to project compatibility with repository
construction, operation, and closure. The types of information to
support this description should include -
• Surface-water systems, including recharge and runoff
characteristics, and potential for flooding of the repository.
• Nature and location of aquifers, confining units, and
aquitards.
• Potentiometric surfaces of aquifers.
• Hydraulic properties of geohydrologic units.
Section 960.5-2-11 Tectonics.
Description of the tectonic setting of the site, in context with
the regional setting, in order to estimate any expected effects of
tectonic activity on repository construction, operation, or
closure. The types of information to support this description
should include -
• Quaternary faults.
• Active tectonic processes.
• Preliminary estimates of expected ground motion caused by the
maximum potential earthquake within the geologic setting.