Waste Control Specialists LLC License Application for By-Product Material Disposal

On May 29, 2008, the TCEQ officially issued Waste Control Specialists LLC (WCS) a license for disposal of by-product material.

The WCS site is located approximately 31 miles west of the City of Andrews, Texas, and six miles east of the City of Eunice, New Mexico. The facility is located just east of the Texas–New Mexico boundary and one mile north of Texas State Highway 176.

The Texas Department of Health began the review of the WCS application in June 2004 under Title 25, Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Section 289.260. The Department was reorganized on September 1, 2004, into the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). In the newly formed DSHS, the Technical Assessments Group continued with the review until the 80th Texas Legislature passed, and the Governor signed, Senate Bill 1604, transferring regulatory authority for uranium/by-product waste disposal to the TCEQ. Technical review staff officially transferred to the TCEQ on July 1, 2007. The new TCEQ Uranium and Technical Assessments Section of TCEQ completed its review of the WCS by-product application and has issued its own by-product material disposal regulations.

• Current Status of This Application

• Related Documents

• For More Information

• WCS Final License

Status: TCEQ Responds to WCS Requests for Two Minor Amendments

On May 27, 2010, the TCEQ Uranium and Technical Assessments Section issued a minor amendment response letter dealing with receipt and disposal of additional by-product material. This request was submitted by WCS on April 9, 2010.  WCS requested a license amendment to authorize the receipt and disposal of additional by-product material in DOT IP-2 containers and to authorize an increase in the volume of by-product waste and maximum radioactivity allowed to be buried in the facility.

On May 26, 2010, the TCEQ Uranium and Technical Assessments Section issued a minor amendment response letter for extension of time which was in response to a request submitted by WCS on December 18, 2009.  WCS requested an extension of time to install the lining in the red bed bench as required by License Condition 46.A.

Application Review Timeline

Related Documents:

• License application from WCS 
• Notice (PDF files. Help with PDF.)
• Draft environmental analysis and attachments (PDF files):
  • Table 4. Environmental Monitoring
  • Figures:
    • Figure 1: Site Location
    • Figure 2: Site Map
    • Figure 3: Permian Basin features
    • Figure 4: General Stratigraphic Column
    • Figure 5: Early Dockum Basin Paleogeography
    • Figure 6: Draw with Potential Erosion Concerns
    • Figure 7: Map of Nearest Subsidence Features
    • Figure 8: Location of the OAG Dry Line
    • Figure 9: Dockum Water Table Elevation, showing portion of the by-product facility potentially saturated by the modeling results
  • Appendix A. Microshield® Calculation of the Direct Gamma Dose Received by a WCS Worker Placing and Compacting By-product Radioactive Waste
  • Appendix B. Microshield® Calculation of the Direct Gamma Dose Received to a Resident Farmer Living over the WCS By-product Radioactive Waste Disposal Site
  • Appendix C. HELP© Model Calculation for Estimating Rain Water Leach Rate Through the WCS By-product Facility Cover System
  • Appendix D. RAECOM Model for Estimating the Radon Emanation Rate Through the WCS By-product Facility Cover System
  • Appendix E. RESRAD© Calculation for Estimating the Dose to a WCS Worker Placing and Compacting By-product Radioactive Waste
  • Appendix F. Estimating the Dose to a Resident Living at the Site Boundary During the Operating Period in the Predominated Wind Direction from the WCS By-product Radioactive Waste Disposal Site
  • Appendix G. Estimating the Dose to a Worker During the Operating Period from Radon While Placing and Compacting By-product Waste
• Revised License Incorporating Public Comments
  • TCEQ Response to Comments (PDF files. Help with PDF.)
  • Revised License (PDF files. Help with PDF.)
  • Errata Sheet for Changes to the Draft Environmental Analysis (PDF files. Help with PDF.)
• Final WCS By-Product License (PDF file. Help with PDF.)
• TCEQ letter responding to WCS' December 18, 2009 minor amendment request for an extension of time to install the lining in the red bed bench.
• Letter to WCS addressing an April 9, 2010 minor amendment request by WCS for TCEQ to authorize use of DOT IP-2 containers and to allow an increase in the by-product waste volume and maximum radioactivity allowed to be buried in the facility.

For More Information

If you have questions about this license, please contact us.