[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 174 (Friday, September 9, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-22339]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: September 9, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

 

Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the F-Canyon Plutonium 
Solutions at the Savannah River Site

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) and notice of public hearings.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability 
of a Draft EIS entitled ``F-Canyon Plutonium Solutions, Savannah River 
Site, Aiken, South Carolina'' (DOE/EIS-0219D). The Draft EIS assesses 
the potential environmental impacts of stabilizing plutonium solutions 
that are currently stored in F-Canyon at the Savannah River Site.
    DOE invites public comments on the Draft EIS, and will hold public 
hearings on the document.

DATES: The public comment period for the Draft EIS ends on Monday, 
October 24, 1994. Written comments regarding the document should be 
postmarked by Monday, October 24, 1994, to ensure consideration in 
preparation of the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Comments sent 
after that date will be considered to the extent practicable. Three 
public hearings (which will also serve as informational meetings), will 
be held on the Draft EIS: Tuesday, October 4, 1994, in Columbia, South 
Carolina; Thursday, October 6, 1994, in North Augusta, South Carolina; 
and Tuesday, October 11, 1994, in Savannah, Georgia. The locations for 
these meetings are identified below.

ADDRESSES: Addresses for the public meeting locations are provided 
below. Written comments on the Draft EIS, requests for copies of the 
document, and requests for further information should be directed to: 
Dr. K.L. Hooker, NEPA Compliance Officer, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Savannah River Operations Office, P. O. Box 5031, Aiken, South Carolina 
29804-5031, Attention: ``F-Canyon Plutonium Solutions EIS''. Telephone: 
(803) 725-9615 or through the Information Line (800) 242-8269.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on DOE's 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, please contact: Ms. 
Carol Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Oversight (EH-25), U.S. 
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20585. Telephone: (202) 586-4600 or leave a message at (800) 472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Scope of the Draft EIS

    The Department proposes to stabilize the plutonium solutions 
currently within the F-Canyon facility. Based on technical and 
management judgment, DOE believes that these plutonium solutions 
present a safety concern that warrants expeditious processing to a more 
stable and storable form while decisions are made regarding interim to 
long-term disposition of this plutonium. The draft EIS indicates that 
the preferred alternative would be to operate the F-Canyon and FB-Line 
facilities in order to process the plutonium solutions into a more 
stable plutonium metal form.
    The draft EIS also identifies and evaluates processing the 
solutions into plutonium oxide and vitrification as alternative methods 
of stabilizing the F-Canyon plutonium solutions. Consistent with NEPA's 
requirement that the ``no action'' alternative be considered, the draft 
EIS evaluates the potential environmental impacts of continuing to 
manage the F-Canyon plutonium solutions in their current liquid form 
until decisions regarding interim to long-term disposition are made.

Public Scoping Process

    On March 17, 1994, DOE published a Notice of Intent (59 FR 12588) 
to prepare an EIS for the Interim Management of Nuclear Materials at 
the SRS. DOE developed the scope of the EIS following completion of the 
March 17 to May 31, 1994, public scoping period. DOE held public 
scoping meetings in Savannah, Georgia, May 12, 1994; in North Augusta, 
South Carolina on May 17, 1994; and in Columbia, South Carolina on May 
19, 1994. DOE received oral and written comments from individuals and 
organizations regarding the scope of the EIS. On August 23, 1994, DOE 
published a Notice of an Amendment to the Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Interim Management of Nuclear Materials at the 
Savannah River Site (59 FR 43341), to explain the need to prepare the 
F-Canyon plutonium solutions EIS. Because the issues to be addressed in 
the F-Canyon Plutonium Solutions EIS were included within the Interim 
Management of Nuclear Materials EIS scoping process, no additional 
scoping meetings will be held. An Implementation Plan has been released 
that identifies the comments received during the previously held public 
scoping process, including those issues related to the F-Canyon 
Plutonium Solutions EIS, and identifies those matters to be addressed 
in both EISs. All comments received during the scoping process relevant 
to the stabilization of F-Canyon plutonium solutions have been 
addressed in the preparation of the F-Canyon Plutonium Solutions EIS.
    Copies of the EIS Implementation Plan may be obtained upon request 
from Dr. K.L. Hooker at the address given above. The Implementation 
Plan will also be available at the public hearings for the Draft EIS.

Background Information

    For background information on the SRS, and for a discussion of the 
underlying purpose and need for stabilizing nuclear materials at the 
SRS, please refer to the original March 17, 1994, Notice of Intent to 
prepare an EIS for the Interim Management of Nuclear Materials at the 
SRS (59 FR 12588).
    Approximately 80,000 gallons of in-process plutonium solutions 
currently are held in tanks in F-Canyon. These plutonium solutions 
include mixtures of plutonium-239 and uranium-238, as well as simple 
plutonium-239 solutions. Some of these solutions also contain fission 
products from irradiation in a nuclear reactor, as well as naturally 
occurring products from radioactive decay during storage. Such 
plutonium solutions historically and routinely have been created and 
treated in the F-Canyon as in-process materials of SRS production and 
reprocessing programs. However, the solutions currently in storage have 
been held much longer than called for in the original design and 
routine operation of the Canyon. Furthermore, as a result of specific 
manipulations of the solutions' chemistry to maintain safety, the 
solutions are now in a condition not previously envisioned for routine 
operations. These safety-related alterations to solution chemistry have 
prevented an imminent hazard from occurring. However, the operations 
staff of F-Canyon has documented a slow deterioration in solution 
chemistry, which requires continuous vigilance to assure safe storage 
and to avoid potentially severe radiological impacts should an accident 
occur. Therefore, DOE proposes to stabilize these solutions by 
conversion of the plutonium in solution to a solid state as plutonium 
metal. However, because it is not needed for weapons, the chemical 
purity of the plutonium would be made sufficient only for stabilization 
and safe long-term storage, rather than in compliance with purity 
standards previously set for weapons materials. The entire conversion 
process would take place in existing facilities in the F-Canyon 
building.
    These potentially significant safety concerns, identified since the 
publication of the March 17, 1994, Notice of Intent, have led DOE to 
consider stabilization of these solutions in advance of any decisions 
made subsequent to the completion of the Interim Management of Nuclear 
Materials EIS. As a result, DOE has prepared a draft EIS on the F-
Canyon Plutonium Solutions, pursuant to the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 USC 4321 et seq.).

Availability of Draft EIS

    Copies of the Draft EIS have been distributed to Federal, State, 
and local agencies, organizations, and individuals known to be 
interested in the Savannah River Site.
    Copies of the Draft EIS and documents referenced in the draft are 
available for public inspection in the Library at the University of 
South Carolina's Aiken Campus, University Parkway, Aiken, South 
Carolina, and in DOE's Freedom of Information Reading Room, Room 1E-
190, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC. 
Copies of the Draft EIS are also available for public inspection at 
many local and regional libraries in Georgia and South Carolina. 
Locations of nearest libraries can be obtained by contacting Dr. K.L. 
Hooker, DOE, at the telephone numbers given above.

Invitation To Comment

    Interested parties are invited to provide oral or written comments 
on the Draft EIS. Written comments should be sent to Dr. K.L. Hooker, 
DOE at the address given above. To be considered in the final EIS, 
written comments should be postmarked by Monday, October 24, 1994; 
comments postmarked after that date will be considered to the extent 
practicable.

Information Meetings and Public Hearings

    Combined information meetings and public hearings on the Draft EIS 
have been scheduled as follows:
    Tuesday, October 4, 1994, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. 
to 9:00 p.m.: Holiday Inn Coliseum, 630 Assembly Street, Columbia, 
South Carolina 29201.
    Thursday, October 6, 1994, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 
p.m. to 9:00 p.m.: North Augusta Community Center, 495 Brookside Ave., 
North Augusta, South Carolina 29841.
    Tuesday, October 11, 1994, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 
p.m. to 9:00 p.m.: Coastal Georgia Center for Continuing Education, 305 
Martin Luther King Boulevard, Savannah, Georgia 31401.
    The public is invited to provide comments on the Draft EIS to DOE 
representatives at the hearings. Written and verbal comments will be 
given equal weight.
    The program for the hearings will be flexible and informal in an 
effort to better accommodate the needs of the public. Each session will 
begin with approximately an hour for presentations and discussions by 
DOE personnel familiar with the topics addressed by the EIS. Members of 
the public in attendance will have the opportunity to ask questions and 
discuss matters of interest during these periods. These informal 
periods are designed to facilitate questions and answers and promote 
interaction with members of the public. Upon conclusion of the informal 
portion of the meetings, members of the public are invited to present 
comments which will be recorded by a court reporter. So that all 
interested parties have the opportunity to speak during the recorded 
portion of the meetings, five minutes will be allotted to each 
individual or representative of a group. More speaking time will be 
available depending upon the number of people who wish to comment. 
Commenters are requested to provide DOE with written copies of their 
oral comments, if possible. Individuals who wish to preregister to 
speak at any of the hearings may do so by calling (800) 242-8269.
    Clarifying questions regarding statements made at the hearings may 
be asked by personnel conducting the hearings, but there will be no 
cross- examination of people presenting statements. Any additional 
procedural guidance will be provided by the Moderator at the start of 
the hearings.
    A transcript of the hearings will be prepared, and DOE will make 
the entire record of the hearings, including the transcript, available 
for public inspection at the DOE reading rooms listed above.
    DOE will consider all comments (both written and oral comments 
presented at the public hearings) received during the public comment 
period in preparing the Final EIS.
Henry K. Garson,
Director, Office of Environmental Support, NEPA Compliance Officer 
Defense Programs.
[FR Doc. 94-22339 Filed 9-8-94; 8:45 am]
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