Minnesota Administrative Rules

4731.7280 NOTIFICATION OF INCIDENTS AND LOST SOURCES; ABANDONMENT PROCEDURES.

Subpart 1.

Notification; ruptured source.

A licensee must immediately notify the commissioner by telephone according to part 4731.0200, subpart 5, and subsequently, within 30 days, by confirmatory letter if the licensee knows or has reason to believe that a sealed source has been ruptured. The letter must:

A.

designate the well or other location;

B.

describe the magnitude and extent of the escape of licensed materials;

C.

assess the consequences of the rupture; and

D.

explain efforts planned or being taken to mitigate these consequences.

Subp. 2.

Notification; other incidents.

A licensee must notify the commissioner of the theft or loss of radioactive materials, radiation overexposures, excessive levels and concentrations of radiation, and certain other accidents as required under parts 4731.2600 to 4731.2620 and 4731.3110.

Subp. 3.

Abandonment and sealing procedures.

If a sealed source becomes lodged in a well, and when it becomes apparent that efforts to recover the sealed source will not be successful, the licensee must:

A.

notify the commissioner by telephone according to part 4731.0200, subpart 5, of the circumstances that resulted in the inability to retrieve the source;

B.

obtain commissioner approval to implement abandonment procedures;

C.

obtain a variance from the sealing requirements of chapter 4725 or 4727 and comply with the conditions of the variance;

D.

if applicable, inform the commissioner that the licensee implemented abandonment before receiving commissioner approval because the licensee believed there was an immediate threat to public health and safety;

E.

advise the well owner or operator, as appropriate, of the abandonment procedures under part 4731.7030, subpart 1 or 2; and

F.

ensure that abandonment procedures are implemented within 30 days after the sealed source has been classified as irretrievable or request of the commissioner an extension of time if unable to complete the abandonment procedures.

Subp. 4.

Report of irretrievable source.

A licensee must, within 30 days after a sealed source has been classified as irretrievable, make a report in writing to the commissioner. The licensee must send a copy of the report to each appropriate state or federal agency that issued permits or otherwise approved of the drilling operation. The report must contain:

A.

the date of occurrence;

B.

a description of the irretrievable well logging source involved, including the radionuclide and its quantity, chemical, and physical form;

C.

surface location and identification of the well;

D.

results of efforts to immobilize and seal the source in place;

E.

a brief description of the attempted recovery effort;

F.

depth of the source;

G.

depth of the top of the cement plug;

H.

depth of the well;

I.

the immediate threat to public health and safety justification for implementing abandonment if prior commissioner and variance approval was not obtained according to subpart 3, item D;

J.

any other information, such as a warning statement, contained on the permanent identification plaque; and

K.

the identity of state and federal agencies receiving a copy of this report.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 144.1202; 144.1203

History:

29 SR 755; 44 SR 239

Published Electronically:

September 13, 2019