[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 11437]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6615]



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NUCLEAR WASTE TECHNICAL REVIEW BOARD


Board Meeting: April 30-May 1 Meeting in Texas on the Integration 
of the OCRWM's Site-Characterization and Repository Development Program

    Pursuant to its authority under section 5051 of Public Law 100-203, 
the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987, the Nuclear Waste 
Technical Review Board will hold its spring meeting on Tuesday and 
Wednesday, April 30 and May 1, 1996, in Austin, Texas. The meeting will 
be held at the Wyndham Austin Hotel, 4140 Governor's Row, Austin, Texas 
78744; (tel) 512-448-2222; (fax) 512-442-8028; toll-free reservations 
(800) 433-2241. To receive the government rate, reservations must be 
made by April 8, 1996; please mention the Nuclear Waste Technical 
Review Board meeting. The meeting is open to the public and will begin 
at 8:30 a.m. both days.
    The Board has invited representatives of the Office of Civilian 
Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) and its contractors to describe 
efforts to integrate the many elements of the site-characterization and 
repository development program. The Board is interested in 
understanding what rationale underlies ongoing and future program 
activities; what specific efforts are being made to integrate major 
program activities; and how priorities are set when specific activities 
are being defined and resources allocated. How, for example, are the 
waste isolation strategy and recent insights from performance 
assessments being used to make decisions about the overall repository 
design, about the extent of underground excavation, and about what 
testing should be carried out? The Board will be briefed on the OCRWM's 
revised program plans, including their viability assessment of the 
Yucca Mountain site and their plans for submitting a license 
application. Substantial time will be set aside on day two for a round-
table discussion.
    Time also will be set aside for public comment and questions. To 
ensure that everyone wishing to speak is provided time to do so, the 
Board encourages those who have comments to sign the Public Comment 
Register, which will be located at the sign-in table. Depending on the 
number of people wishing to speak, a time limit may have to be set on 
the length of individual remarks. However, written comments of any 
length may be submitted for the record.
    The Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board was created by Congress in 
the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987 to evaluate the 
technical and scientific validity of activities undertaken by the DOE 
in its program to manage the disposal of the nation's spent nuclear 
fuel and defense high-level waste. In that same legislation, Congress 
directed the DOE to characterize a site at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, for 
its suitability as a potential location for a permanent repository for 
the disposal of that waste.
    Transcripts of this meeting will be available on computer disk or 
on a library-loan basis in paper format from Davonya Barnes, Board 
staff, beginning June 11, 1996. For further information, contact Frank 
Randall, External Affairs, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 910, Arlington, 
Virginia 22209; (Tel) 703-235-4473; (Fax) 703-235-4495.

    Dated: March 12, 1996.
William Barnard,
Executive Director, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board.
[FR Doc. 96-6615 Filed 3-19-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-AM-M