Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 11, June 10, 2024
Section RH 14.23 - Disposal Site Suitability Requirements for Land Disposal14.23.1 Disposal Site Suitability for Near-Surface Disposal. The primary emphasis in near-surface disposal site suitability is given to isolation of wastes, and to the disposal site features that ensure that the long-term performance objectives are met. 14.23.1.1 The disposal site shall be capable of being characterized, modeled, analyzed and monitored.14.23.1.2 Within the region where the facility is to be located, a disposal site should be selected so that projected population growth and future developments are not likely to affect the ability of the disposal facility to meet the performance objectives of this part.14.23.1.3 Areas shall be avoided having known natural resources which, if exploited, would result in failure to meet the performance objectives of this part.14.23.1.4 The disposal site shall be generally well drained and free of areas of flooding or frequent ponding. Waste disposal shall not take place in a 100-year flood plain, coastal high-hazard area or wetland, as defined in Executive Order 11988, "Floodplain Management Guidelines."14.23.1.5 Upstream drainage areas shall be minimized to decrease the amount of runoff which could erode or inundate waste disposal units.14.23.1.6 The disposal site shall provide sufficient depth to the water table that ground water intrusion, perennial or otherwise, into the waste will not occur. The Department will consider an exception to this requirement to allow disposal below the water table if it can be conclusively shown that disposal site characteristics will result in molecular diffusion being the predominant means of radionuclide movement and the rate of movement will result in the performance objectives being met. In no case will waste disposal be permitted in the zone of fluctuation of the water table.14.23.1.7 The hydrogeologic unit used for disposal shall not discharge ground water to the surface within the disposal site.14.23.1.8 Areas shall be avoided where tectonic processes such as faulting, folding, seismic activity, or vulcanism may occur with such frequency and extent to significantly affect the ability of the disposal site to meet the performance objectives of this part or may preclude defensible modeling and prediction of long-term impacts.14.23.1.9 Areas shall be avoided where surface geologic processes such as mass wasting, erosion, slumping, landsliding, or weathering occur with such frequency and extent to significantly affect the ability of the disposal site to meet the performance objectives of this part, or may preclude defensible modeling and prediction of long-term impacts.14.23.1.10 The disposal site must not be located where nearby facilities or activities could adversely impact the ability of the site to meet the performance objectives of this part or significantly mask the environmental monitoring program.Colorado Register, Vol 37, No. 14. July 25, 2014, effective 8/14/201438 CR 02, January 25, 2015, effective 2/14/201538 CR 05, March 10, 2015, effective 3/30/201538 CR 12, June 25, 2015, effective 7/15/201538 CR 14, July 25, 2015, effective 8/14/201539 CR 02, January 25, 2016, effective 2/14/201639 CR 16, August 25, 2016, effective 9/14/201639 CR 22, November 25, 2016, effective 12/15/201640 CR 11, June 10, 2017, effective 6/30/201740 CR 20, October 25, 2017, effective 11/14/201742 CR 24, December 25, 2019, effective 1/14/202043 CR 14, July 25, 2020, effective 8/14/202043 CR 18, September 25, 2020, effective 10/15/202044 CR 11, June 10, 2021, effective 7/15/202144 CR 14, July 25, 2021, effective 8/14/202145 CR 22, November 25, 2022, effective 12/15/2022