[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 7, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56144-56145]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-27549]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Availability of the Tritium Supply and Recycling Final 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of 
the Tritium Supply and Recycling Final Programmatic Environmental 
Impact Statement (PEIS), DOE/EIS-0161. The Tritium Supply and Recycling 
PEIS evaluates alternatives for an assured, long-term supply of 
tritium, a radioactive gas which is a necessary component of every 
weapon in the Nation's nuclear weapons stockpile.

DATES: The Final PEIS was approved by the Department on October 13, 
1995. The Environmental Protection Agency published its Notice of 
Availability regarding this Final PEIS on October 27, 1995. DOE intends 
to issue a Record of Decision on the Tritium Supply and Recycling PEIS; 
the decision may be issued no sooner than 30 days from the publication 
date of the Environmental Protection Agency Notice of Availability in 
the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES AND FURTHER INFORMATION: A copy of the Final PEIS, its 
Executive Summary, or both may be obtained by calling 1-800-776-2765, 
or writing to: Office of Reconfiguration, DP-25, U.S. Department of 
Energy, P.O. Box 3417, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
    Requests for copies of the Final PEIS can also be made 
electronically via computer as follows: Federal Information Exchange 
Bulletin Board, InterNet Address: FEDIX.FIECOM, Modem Toll-Free: 1-800-
783-3349, DC Metro Modem: 301-258-0953.
    For general information on the DOE NEPA review process, please 
contact: Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and 
Assistance, EH-42, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, 
S.W., Washington DC 20585, (202) 586-4600 or (800) 472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tritium Supply and Recycling Final PEIS 
was prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality 
NEPA regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508) and the DOE NEPA regulations 
(10 CFR Part 1021). In the PEIS, the Department proposes to acquire a 
long-term, assured capability for tritium supply and recycling. 
Tritium, a radioactive gas with a relatively short radioactive half-
life of 12.3 years, is a necessary component of every weapon in the 
Nation's nuclear weapons stockpile and must be replenished periodically 
in nuclear weapons to ensure that they function as designed. Currently, 
the Department does not have the capability to produce the quantity of 
tritium that is expected to be required to maintain the readiness of 
the nuclear weapons stockpile.
    The Tritium Supply and Recycling PEIS evaluates alternatives for 
providing long-term, assured tritium supply and recycling. Four 
technologies for new tritium supply facilities are assessed in the 
PEIS: Heavy Water Reactor, Modular High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor, 


[[Page 56145]]
Advanced Light Water Reactor, and Accelerator Production of Tritium. 
Five sites for new tritium supply facilities and tritium recycling 
facilities are assessed: the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory 
(near Idaho Falls, Idaho); the Nevada Test Site (near Las Vegas, 
Nevada); the Oak Ridge Reservation (Oak Ridge, Tennessee); the Pantex 
Plant (Amarillo, Texas); and the Savannah River Site (Aiken, South 
Carolina). Additionally, the PEIS evaluates the alternative of 
producing tritium in existing commercial light water reactors, via the 
purchase of an existing reactor or irradiation services. The PEIS also 
evaluates the environmental impacts associated with the use of an 
Advanced Light Water Reactor, Modular High Temperature Gas-Cooled 
Reactor or Commercial Light Water Reactor for the purpose of plutonium 
disposition in addition to the tritium mission (the so-called 
multipurpose reactor.) Two options for tritium recycling are evaluated: 
the upgrade of existing tritium recycling facilities at the Savannah 
River Site, or the collocation of a new tritium recycling facility with 
the tritium supply facility at one of the other sites.
    The Tritium Supply and Recycling PEIS compares the environmental 
impacts that would be expected to occur from the tritium supply and 
recycling alternatives. The No Action alternative of not acquiring new 
long-term, assured tritium supply, and continuing to operate the 
existing tritium recycling facilities is also evaluated. The Tritium 
Supply and Recycling PEIS has a classified Appendix that provides 
additional information and analysis.
    DOE issued a Tritium Supply and Recycling Draft PEIS on March 1, 
1995 and invited comments on the adequacy and accuracy of the draft 
analysis. Almost 2000 comments were provided. The Final PEIS reflects 
changes made by DOE in response to public comments received and to 
provide additional information. Key revisions to the PEIS included 
additional discussion and analysis in the following areas: severe 
accidents and design-basis accidents for all tritium supply 
technologies; site-specific environmental impacts of a dedicated power 
plant for an accelerator; water resource sections; site-specific 
analysis of a multi-purpose reactor that could produce tritium, burn 
plutonium as fuel, and produce electricity; the addition of the use of 
a commercial reactor as a reasonable alternative; and the environmental 
impacts of providing tritium at an earlier date to support a higher 
stockpile level.
    The Final PEIS also identifies the Department's preferred 
alternative. The preferred strategy is to begin work on the two most 
promising tritium production alternatives: (1) purchase an existing 
light water reactor or irradiation services with an option to purchase 
the reactor for conversion to a defense facility, and (2) design, 
build, and test critical components of an accelerator system for 
tritium production. Within a three-year period, the Department would 
select one of the alternatives to serve as the primary source of 
tritium. The other alternative, if feasible, would be developed as a 
back-up tritium source. The Savannah River Site was designated as the 
preferred site for an accelerator, should one be built. The preferred 
alternative for tritium recycling and extraction activities is to 
remain at the Savannah River Site with appropriate consolidation and 
upgrading of current recycling facilities and a new extraction 
facility.
    DOE has distributed copies of the Tritium Supply and Recycling 
Final PEIS to interested individuals and organizations. Additional 
copies of the Final PEIS are available to any other interested persons 
and can be requested as described above. DOE expects to issue a Record 
of Decision on the Tritium Supply and Recycling PEIS in late November 
1995.

    Signed in Washington, D.C. this 31st day of October, 1995, for 
the United States Department of Energy.
Everet Beckner,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defense Programs.
[FR Doc. 95-27549 Filed 11-6-95; 8:45 am]
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