N.M. Admin. Code § 20.3.13.7

Current through Register Vol. 36, No. 1, January 14, 2025

Section 20.3.13.7 - DEFINITIONS

As used in this part (20.3.13 NMAC), the following definitions apply.

A. "Active maintenance" means any significant activity needed during the period of institutional control to maintain a reasonable assurance that the performance objectives in 20.3.13.1307 NMAC and 20.3.13.1308 NMAC are met. Such active maintenance includes ongoing activities, such as the pumping and treatment of water from a disposal unit, or one-time measures, such as replacement of a disposal unit cover. Active maintenance does not include custodial activities, such as repair of fencing, repair or replacement of monitoring equipment, revegetation, minor additions to soil cover, minor repair of disposal unit covers and general disposal site upkeep, such as mowing grass.

B. "Buffer zone" means a portion of the disposal site that is controlled by the licensee, and that lies under the disposal units and between the disposal units and the boundary of the site.

C. "Chelating agent" means amine polycarboxylic acids, hydroxy-carboxylic acids, gluconic acid and polycarboxylic acids.

D. "Commencement of construction" means any clearing of land, excavation or other substantial action that would adversely affect the environment of a land disposal facility. The term does not mean disposal site exploration, necessary roads for disposal site exploration, borings to determine foundation conditions, or other preconstruction monitoring or testing to establish background information related to the suitability of the disposal site or the protection of environmental values.

E. "Custodial agency" means an agency of the government designated to act on behalf of the government owner of the disposal site.

F. "Disposal" means the isolation of wastes from the biosphere inhabited by man and his food chains by emplacement in a land disposal facility.

G. "Disposal site" means that portion of a land disposal facility which is used for disposal of waste. It consists of disposal units and a buffer zone.

H. "Disposal unit" means a discrete portion of the disposal site into which waste is placed for disposal. For near-surface disposal, the unit is usually a trench.

I. "Engineered barrier" means a man-made structure or device that is intended to improve the land disposal facility's ability to meet the performance objective in this part (20.3.13 NMAC).

J. "Explosive material" means any chemical compound, mixture or device which produces a substantial instantaneous release of gas and heat spontaneously, or by contact with sparks or flame.

K. "Hazardous waste" means those wastes designated as hazardous by U.S. environmental protection agency regulations in 40 CFR, Part 261.

L. "Hydrogeologic unit" means any soil or rock unit or zone which, by virtue of its porosity or permeability, or lack thereof, has a distinct influence on the storage or movement of ground water.

M. "Inadvertent intruder" means a person who might occupy the disposal site after closure and engage in normal activities, such as agriculture, dwelling construction or other pursuits in which an individual might be unknowingly exposed to radiation from the waste.

N. "Intruder barrier" means a sufficient depth of cover over the waste that inhibits contact with waste, and helps to ensure that radiation exposures to an inadvertent intruder will meet the performance objectives set forth in this part (20.3.13 NMAC), or engineered structures that provide equivalent protection to the inadvertent intruder.

O. "Land disposal facility" means the land, buildings and equipment which is intended to be used for the disposal of wastes into the subsurface of the land.

P. "Monitoring" means observing and making measurements to provide data to evaluate the performance and characteristics of the disposal site.

Q. "Near-surface disposal facility" means a land disposal facility in which waste is disposed of within approximately the upper 30 meters of the earth's surface.

R. "Pyrophoric liquid" means any liquid that ignites spontaneously in dry or moist air at or below 130 degrees F (54.4 degrees C). A pyrophoric solid is any solid material, other than one classed as an explosive, which under normal conditions is liable to cause fires through friction, retained heat from manufacturing or processing, or which can be ignited readily, and when ignited, burns so vigorously and persistently as to create a serious transportation, handling or disposal hazard. Included in this definition are spontaneously combustible and water-reactive materials.

S. "Site closure and stabilization" means those actions that are taken upon completion of operations that prepare the disposal site for custodial care and that assure that the disposal site will remain stable and will not need ongoing active maintenance.

T. "Stability" means structural stability.

U. "Surveillance" means monitoring and observation of the disposal site for purposes of visual detection of need for maintenance, custodial care, evidence of intrusion and compliance with other license and regulatory requirements.

N.M. Admin. Code § 20.3.13.7

5-3-95; 20.3.13.7 NMAC - Rn, 20 NMAC 3.1.13.1301 & A, 4/15/2004; A, 4/30/2009