[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 73 (Monday, April 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16473-16474]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9244]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Withdrawal of Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) at the Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Site 
(SRS)

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On March 20, 1992, DOE announced its intent to prepare an EIS 
in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for a 
proposed Upgrade of Canyon Exhaust Systems Project at the Savannah 
River Site (SRS). Due to a substantial reduction in scope of the 
proposed upgrade, DOE is withdrawing its Notice of Intent to Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions on the information provided 
below under the heading ``Supplementary Information'' should be 
directed to Mr. A.R. Grainger, NEPA Compliance Officer, Environmental 
Compliance Division, Savannah River Operations Office, P.O. Box 5031, 
Aiken, South Carolina, 29804, Phone/FAX: (800) 242-8269, E-Mail: 
[email protected].

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 Policy and Assistance (EH-
42), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, D.C. 20585. Telephone: (202) 586-4600 or leave a message at 
(800) 472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Beginning in the early 1950's, the SRS 
served as a

[[Page 16474]]

defense materials production facility for DOE and its predecessor 
agencies. As part of the SRS mission, the chemical separations 
facilities (``Canyons'') in F- and H-Areas performed, among other 
functions, the chemical recovery or reprocessing of nuclear materials 
produced at SRS. The primary facilities for these activities were the 
F- and H-Area Canyons, which recovered and separated isotopes of 
uranium, plutonium, and neptunium from spent reactor fuels or from 
targets irradiated in SRS reactors. The activities performed in the F- 
and H- Area canyons and their associated facilities produce airborne 
radioactive offgases and particulates, which have contaminated some 
parts of the interiors of the facilities. To protect workers from a 
buildup of radioactivity and to protect the environment from airborne 
radioactive releases, large ventilation and filter systems control the 
air flow in the canyons, which must be maintained whether the canyons 
are in actual operation or not. F- and H-Areas have nearly identical 
canyon ventilation systems. Each ventilation system consists of ducts, 
filters, fans, exhaust stack, electrical power supplies, and electrical 
control centers. The Canyon Exhaust Systems fans in the F- and H-Areas 
are 20 years old or older. Although they are still operating within the 
requirements of the F- and H-Canyon Safety Analysis Reports, the 
exhaust portions of the canyon ventilation systems require replacement 
to address reliability concerns.
    On March 20, 1992, the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety 
and Health published in the Federal Register the Notice of Intent for 
the Upgrade Canyon Exhaust Systems (UCES) Project Environmental Impact 
Statement. The proposed action at that time was a major upgrade of the 
canyon exhaust systems to meet current or anticipated reliability, 
capacity, safety, and security criteria. Since then, DOE has performed 
several technical reviews on the merits of completing the originally 
envisioned UCES project at the Savannah River Site, considering the 
potential future missions of the affected facilities. On July 17, 1995, 
the scope of the activity of the UCES project was changed to include 
only in-kind replacement for safety and environmental reasons. DOE 
believes that these particular proposed replacements are necessary 
regardless of the scope of potential future missions for which F- and 
H-Canyons may be considered.
    The proposed action is now restricted to five removals and four 
replacement actions, as follows:
    (1) Removal of existing diesel generators in 292-F/H buildings,
    (2) Removal and replacement of existing 254-5F/H diesel generators,
    (3) Removal and replacement of existing motor control centers, A, 
B, and C in the 292-F/H buildings,
    (4) Removal and replacement of 750 kVA and 1000 kVA substations in 
292-F/H buildings,
    (5) And removal and replacement of Old Canyon Exhaust Fans.
    The proposed action now fits within DOE Categorical Exclusion (CX)/
B2.5/, for safety and environmental improvements that do not 
significantly alter life span, capacity, or function of a facility. 
This CX is further described in Appendix B to Subpart D of the DOE NEPA 
Implementing Procedures and Regulations, 10 CFR 1021, 57 FR 15122, 
15154. Therefore, no EIS is required, and DOE hereby withdraws its 
notice of intent to prepare an EIS.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on April 3, 1996.
John A. Ford,
Director, Savannah River Office.
[FR Doc. 96-9244 Filed 4-12-96; 8:45 am]
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