The Wyoming State Geological Survey has prepared a short report to address some concerns they and others have in the seismic design assumptions the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has adopted or may adopt for determining reclamation standards for remote uranium mill tailing sites in Wyoming. After reviewing their attached report, which includes a critique of a 1994 report for your agency prepared by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, I add my concern as well. While I am most certainly concerned with protection of the State's citizenry, I am also concerned that the most appropriate and cost-effective standard be selected, especially given the remoteness of our sites. We bring this to your attention because your agency's seismic design assumptions will affect reclamation costs born by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, as well as, our uranium industry.

I believe that the State's position in this matter is adequately addressed in the attached document prepared by the Wyoming State Geological Survey. For the remotely located, uranium mill tailing sites in Wyoming, it is our position that seismic design requirements based upon Peak Ground Accelerations (PGA's) with a Probability of Exceedance (PE) equal to 5 x 10-4 are the most appropriate and cost-effective.

After reviewing the attached report, we hope that you will agree with our conclusions and recommendation in this matter. If you have any technical questions about our recommendation or any of the information in the State Survey's report, please feel free to contact our State Geologist, Gary B. Glass, or Mr. James C. Case at (307) 766-2286.

Awaiting your response.