[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 121 (Friday, June 24, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-15437]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 24, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
 

Notice of Floodplain Statement of Findings for the East Fork 
Poplar Creek Flow Management Project for the Y-12 Site

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This is a Floodplain Statement of Findings for the proposed 
East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) Flow Management Project, prepared in 
accordance with Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1022. 
DOE proposes to maintain the flow of the EFPC at 7 million gallons per 
day by providing augmented flow from the Clinch River using an existing 
water intake pumping and piping distribution system. Because the added 
flow would be applied at a point discharge, turbulence would cause 
erosion and sedimentation problems in the EFPC. To eliminate this 
potential problem, an energy dissipation chamber would be installed 
alongside the creek to control the turbulence of the incoming flow. 
This chamber is a concrete box approximately 10 by 14 feet with a 
series of weirs. Water would flow into the box through a series of 
baffles which would dissipate energy and flow out over a rip-rapped 
channel to the creek. This chamber would be installed on the creek bank 
within the Y-12 Plant on the Oak Ridge Reservation in Oak Ridge, 
Tennessee. The action would be located within the 100-year floodplain 
of the EFPC located in Anderson County, Tennessee. DOE prepared a 
Floodplain Assessment describing the effects, alternatives, and 
measures designed to avoid or minimize potential harm to or within the 
affected floodplain. The DOE will endeavor to allow 15 days of public 
review after publication of the Statement of Findings before 
implementing the proposed action.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: S.D. Morris, DP-813, U.S. Department 
of Energy, DOE Y-12 Site Office, Post Office Box 2001, Oak Ridge, 
Tennessee 37831, (615) 576-3545 (telephone), (615) 576-8010 
(facsimile).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON GENERAL DOE FLOODPLAIN/WETLANDS 
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW REQUIREMENTS, CONTACT: Carol M. Borgstrom, 
Director, Office of NEPA Oversight, EH-25, U.S. Department of Energy, 
1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-4600 or 
(800) 472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a Floodplain Statement of Findings 
for the proposed EFPC Flow Management project, prepared in accordance 
with 10 CFR Part 1022. A Notice of Floodplain Involvement was published 
in the Federal Register on March 14, 1994, and a Floodplain Assessment 
submitted to the DOE Oak Ridge Operations Office staff as part of the 
request for Categorical Exclusion.
    DOE proposes to install a concrete box and weir system 
approximately 10 by 14 feet to serve as an energy dissipation chamber 
at the edge of the EFPC within the Y-12 Plant on the Oak Ridge 
Reservation in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. All activities related to the 
proposed action would occur within an area of less than one acre.
    The purpose of the proposed action is to maintain a consistent flow 
rate in the creek of 7 million gallons per day in compliance with 
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) limits to 
protect the stream for its intended uses. Over the past several years, 
the base flow in the creek has gradually decreased due to the reduction 
in the amount of once-through, noncontact cooling water discharge from 
the Y-12 Plant. In an effort to maintain a guaranteed minimum flow in 
the EFPC at the Y-12 Plant site, the Tennessee Department of 
Environment and Conservation (TDEC) staff will require DOE, through its 
NPDES permit, to manage the EFPC flow such that at least 7 million 
gallons per day is consistently present in the EFPC. The flow is to be 
maintained at a location referred to as Station 17, which corresponds 
to approximate EFPC stream kilometer 23.4. TDEC selected 7 million 
gallons per day as the minimum flow based upon historical flow trends 
in the EFPC near the Y-12 Plant site. The requirement to maintain 7 
million gallons per day in the EFPC will be enforceable as part of the 
next Y-12 Plant NPDES permit, June 1994.
    The creek flow would be supplemented by adding water obtained from 
the Clinch River through existing raw water pipelines. At the point 
where the water would empty into EFPC, however, it is anticipated that 
this influx of water would cause substantial erosion and turbulence. To 
eliminate this concern, the installation of an ``energy dissipation 
chamber'' is proposed. This chamber is a concrete box approximately 10 
by 14 feet with a series of weirs. The incoming water will discharge 
into this chamber and the weirs will cause the water turbulence to 
subside so that erosion does not occur as the water flows into the 
creek. It will act as a mixing box to dissipate the energy of the 
incoming water flow before it joins the water of EFPC. The additional 
water would be easily accommodated by the existing pipes and pumping 
station without any operational impacts to the system.
    The energy dissipation chamber will be constructed into the creek 
bank on the south side of the creek and on the east side of E Road. A 
rip-rap outfall channel would be placed between the chamber and creek 
to direct the outgoing flow downstream. A stairway and platform would 
be constructed to provide access to the creek for water sampling 
activities. The excavation around the chamber would be backfilled to 
conform to the existing slope, minimizing changes to the creek and 
floodplain topography.
    The action is proposed to be located in the 100-year floodplain of 
EFPC because there are no other viable locations for the action. Siting 
the chamber in the proposed location is the most viable alternative (as 
demonstrated in the Floodplain Assessment). Other alternatives to the 
proposed action are considered below. In order to provide a baseline 
for further assessment, DOE has considered the No Action Alternative. 
The No Action Alternative would not include constructing the energy 
dissipation chamber. Water coming from the Clinch River would be fed 
directly to EFPC causing turbulence, erosion, and sedimentation of the 
creek environment.
    An alternative to the proposed action could be to supply additional 
flow at another location. However, any location along the creek would 
be within the 100-year floodplain. The proposed location contains the 
existing pipes. If an alternative location were selected, additional 
piping would need to be provided, resulting in additional excavation 
activities along the creek. Another alternative would be not to 
maintain the flow of the creek. The impact of not managing the flow by 
adding to it would be noncompliance with in the new NPDES permit.
    The proposed action, if implemented, would be performed in such a 
manner as to avoid or minimize potential impacts on the floodplain. The 
project would have a Best Management Practices Plan prepared which 
would specify actions to be taken to minimize effects of the action on 
the nearby creek. On the basis of the Floodplain Assessment, the 
proposed construction of the chamber and related actions would not 
affect the existing normal channel cross section of EFPC. Risks to 
individuals and/or property would not be increased by the 
implementation of the proposed action. Adverse environmental effects of 
this action would, therefore, be negligible.
    DOE will endeavor to allow 15 days of public review after 
publication of the Statement of Findings prior to implementing the 
proposed action.
Charles J. Beers, Jr.,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Military 
Application and Stockpile Support, Defense Programs.
[FR Doc. 94-15437 Filed 6-23-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P