[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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