[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 127 (Monday, July 1, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33908-33909]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16680]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the Disposal of the S1C 
Prototype Reactor Plant; Notice of Availability and Announcement of a 
Public Hearing

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Naval Reactors (Naval 
Reactors) has completed a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the 
Disposal of the S1C Prototype Reactor Plant. The Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement was prepared in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969; Council on Environmental 
Quality regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508); and DOE 
NEPA Implementing Procedures (10 CFR Part 1021). Naval Reactors will 
conduct a public hearing and receive comments on the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement, which addresses the potential 
environmental impacts related to the disposal of the S1C Prototype 
reactor plant, located in Windsor, Connecticut.
    This Notice announces that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
will be available to the public at the Windsor, Connecticut Public 
Library or by mail upon request. Upon completion of general 
distribution of the document, Naval Reactors will file the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement with the Environmental Protection 
Agency, which will then publish a notice in the Federal Register to 
start the formal comment period.

DATES: Naval Reactors invites interested agencies, organizations, and 
the general public to provide oral or written comments on the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement. All written comments on the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement are due by August 19, 1996. Oral 
comments will be accepted at the public hearing to be held August 7, 
1996 at Windsor Town Hall at the address listed below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Mr. C. G. Overton, Chief, Windsor 
Field Office, Office of Naval Reactors, U.S. Department of Energy, P.O. 
Box 393, Windsor, CT 06095; telephone (860) 687-5610. Copies of the 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement also may be requested from Mr. 
Overton. The public hearing will be held at 7:00 pm on August 7, 1996 
at the Windsor Town Hall, 275 Broad Street, Windsor, CT 06095.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The S1C Prototype reactor plant is located on the 10.8 acre Windsor 
Site in Windsor, Connecticut, approximately 5 miles north of Hartford. 
The S1C Prototype reactor plant first started operation in 1959 and 
served for more than 30 years as both a facility for testing reactor 
plant components and equipment and for training Naval personnel. As a 
result of the end of the Cold War and the downsizing of the Navy, the 
S1C Prototype reactor plant was shut down in 1993. Since then, the S1C 
Prototype reactor plant has been defueled, drained, and placed in a 
stable protective storage condition.

Alternatives Considered

1. Prompt Dismantlement

    This alternative would involve the prompt dismantlement of the 
reactor plant. All structures would be removed from the Windsor Site, 
and the Windsor Site would be released for unrestricted use. To the 
extent practicable, the resulting low-level radioactive metals would be 
recycled at existing commercial facilities that recycle radioactive 
metals. The remaining low-level radioactive waste would be disposed of 
at the DOE Savannah River Site in South Carolina. The Savannah River 
Site currently receives low-level radioactive waste from Naval Reactors 
sites in the eastern United States. Both the volume and radioactive 
content of the S1C Prototype reactor plant waste would be within the 
range of impacts of low-level radioactive waste that is currently 
received at Savannah River from Naval Reactors sites. Transportation of 
low-level radioactive waste to the DOE Hanford Site in Washington State 
also is evaluated.

2. Deferred Dismantlement

    This alternative would involve keeping the defueled S1C Prototype 
reactor plant in protective storage for 30 years before dismantling it. 
Deferring dismantlement for 30 years would allow nearly all of the 
cobalt-60 radioactivity to decay away. Nearly all of the gamma 
radiation within the reactor plant comes from cobalt-60.

3. No Action

    This alternative would involve keeping the defueled S1C Prototype 
reactor plant in protective storage

[[Page 33909]]

indefinitely. Since there is some residual radioactivity with very long 
half lives such as nickel-59 in the defueled reactor plant, this 
alternative would leave this radioactivity at the Windsor Site 
indefinitely.

4. Other Alternatives Considered

    These alternatives include permanent on-site disposal. Such on-site 
disposal could involve building an entombment structure over the S1C 
Prototype reactor plant or developing a below ground disposal area at 
the Windsor Site. Another alternative would be to remove the S1C 
Prototype reactor plant as a single large reactor compartment package 
for offsite disposal. Each of these alternatives was considered but 
eliminated from detailed analysis.

Public Hearing

    The purpose of the hearing is to receive comments on the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement. The meeting will be chaired by a 
presiding officer and will not be conducted as an evidentiary hearing; 
speakers will not be cross-examined, although the presiding officer and 
Naval Reactors representatives present may ask clarifying questions of 
those who provide oral comments. To ensure that everyone has an 
adequate opportunity to speak, five minutes will be allotted for each 
speaker. Depending on the number of persons requesting to speak, the 
presiding officer may allow more time for elected officials, or 
speakers representing multiple parties, or organizations. Persons 
wishing to speak on behalf of organizations should identify the 
organization. Persons wishing to speak may either notify Mr. Overton in 
writing at the address below or register at the meeting. As time 
permits, individuals who have spoken subject to the five minute rule 
will be afforded additional speaking time. Written comments also will 
be accepted at the meeting.

Availability of Copies of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement

    Copies of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement are being 
distributed to interested Federal, State, and local agencies, and to 
individuals who have expressed interest. Copies of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement and its supporting references are 
available for inspection at the Windsor Public Library at 323 Broad 
Street, Windsor, CT 06095. Copies of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement may be requested from Mr. Overton at the above phone number.

    Issued at Arlington, VA this 20th day of June 1996.
B. DeMars,
Admiral, U.S. Navy, Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.
[FR Doc. 96-16680 Filed 6-28-96; 8:45 am]
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