DEQ updates radioactivity disposal rule; committee approves RAD docket

Michael McCurdy, Waste Management and Remediation Division Administrator at the Department of Environmental Quality, presented Docket 5801102301, the rule regulating disposal of low-activity radiological waste not covered by the Atomic Energy Act.

McCurdy said the negotiated rulemaking followed an executive-order review (0-based regulation) and included deletions, simplifications and consolidations to reduce regulatory burden. Key substantive changes he highlighted included revisions to the incorporation-by-reference section to reflect the intended radiation-protection standards, additions and clarifications to definitions (including licensee and total effective dose equivalent), and the removal of subsections that apply only to licensed facilities not governed by this rule. He also noted clarifications to the records section on required disposal records.

Albert Crawshaw, rules and policy coordinator for DEQ’s hazardous waste program, explained the byproduct-material language was added to reflect Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) exemptions and to align with NRC terminology. Senator O'Connorowitz asked several technical questions about the byproduct-material definition and how terms such as "depleted" would be evaluated; DEQ staff indicated the language follows NRC phrasing and offered to provide additional technical references.

Senator Harris moved to approve Docket 5801102301; Senator Cook seconded and the committee approved the docket by voice vote. No roll-call tally or public testimony is recorded in the transcript.