CFR

960.3-1-4-2—Site nomination for characterization.

The evidence required to support the nomination of a site as suitable for characterization shall include the types of information specified in appendix IV of this part and shall be contained or referenced in the environmental assessments to be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Act. The source of this information shall include the literature and related studies in the public domain and the private sector, when available, and various meteorological, environmental, socioeconomic, and transportation studies conducted by the DOE in the affected area; exploratory boreholes in the region of such site, including lithologic logging and hydrologic and geophysical testing of such boreholes, laboratory testing of core samples for the evaluation of geochemical and engineering rock properties, and chemical analyses of water samples from such boreholes; surface investigations, including geologic mapping and geophysical surveys, and compilations of satellite imagery data; in situ or laboratory testing of similar rock types under expected repository conditions; evaluations of natural and man-made analogs of the repository and its subsystems, such as geothermally active areas, underground excavations, and case histories of socioeconomic cycles in areas that have experienced intermittent large-scale construction and industrial activities; and extrapolations of regional data to estimate site-specific characteristics and conditions. The exact types and amounts of information to be collected within the above categories, including such details as the specific types of hydrologic tests, combinations of geophysical tests, or number of exploratory boreholes, are dependent on the site-specific needs for the application of the guidelines of subparts C and D, in accordance with the provisions of this subpart and the application requirements set forth in appendix III of this part. The evidence shall also include those technical evaluations that use the information specified above and that provide additional bases for evaluating the ability of a site to meet the qualifying conditions of the guidelines of subparts C and D. In developing the above-mentioned bases for evaluation, as may be necessary, assumptions that approximate the characteristics or conditions considered to exist at a site, or expected to exist or occur in the future, may be used. These assumptions will be realistic but conservative enough to underestimate the potential for a site to meet the qualifying condition of a guideline; that is, the use of such assumptions should not lead to an exaggeration of the ability of a site to meet the qualifying condition.

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