[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 241 (Friday, December 13, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65563-65564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-31653]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Environmental Impact Statement for the Continued Operation of the 
Pantex Plant and Associated Storage of Nuclear Weapon Components

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of 
the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Continued 
Operation of the Pantex Plant and Associated Storage of Nuclear Weapon 
Components (DOE/EIS-0225). The Department's preferred alternative is to 
continue nuclear weapons operations at the Pantex Plant, located near 
Amarillo, Texas; to implement projects and facility upgrades consistent 
with conducting these operations; and to increase the interim storage 
level for plutonium components (pits) from 12,000 to 20,000 pits. The 
Final EIS also evaluates a No Action Alternative and a Relocation of 
Interim Pit Storage Alternative.

ADDRESSES: Written requests for copies of the Final EIS should be 
directed to: Ms. Nanette Founds, U.S. Department of Energy, Albuquerque 
Operations Office, P.O. Box 5400, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87185-5400. 
Written requests can also be submitted via fax at (505) 845-6392, with 
facsimiles marked: Pantex Plant EIS. Requests for this EIS may also be 
submitted by calling (505) 845-4351.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on this EIS, please 
contact: Ms. Nanette Founds at the above address or by calling (505) 
845-4212. For information on DOE's 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, DC, 20585, 202-586-4600 or 1-800-472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Pantex Plant, near Amarillo, Texas, is 
the Nation's nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly site. Its 
missions also include the fabrication of high explosive components and 
the maintenance, modification and evaluation of existing nuclear 
weapons. However, its current workload is centered on the dismantlement 
of nuclear weapons that are retired from the military stockpile. There 
are currently no plans for producing new weapons. The preferred 
alternative identified in the Final EIS is to maintain the Pantex 
Plant's assigned missions as well as increase the plant's onsite 
interim storage level from 12,000 to 20,000 pits. The Final EIS also 
evaluates a No Action Alternative, which would continue current 
activities with no new projects or facility upgrades and continue to 
limit onsite interim storage to 12,000 pits; and a Relocation of Pit 
Storage Alternative, in which some or all of Pantex interim storage 
activities would be relocated to one or more of four alternate sites: 
the Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina; the Nevada Test 
Site near Las Vegas, Nevada; the Hanford Site near Richland, 
Washington; and the Manzano Weapons Storage Area at Kirtland Air Force 
Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
    This Final EIS incorporates comments received during the public 
comment period from April 5, 1996, through July 12, 1996 (61 FR 15232, 
April 5, 1996; 61 FR 18726, April 29, 1996). Copies of all comments and 
associated EIS documentation prepared by DOE are available for 
inspection at the following locations:

U.S. Department of Energy Freedom of Information Reading Room, Room 
1E-190, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, 
Washington, DC 20585, 202-586-6020
U.S. Department of Energy Nevada Operations Office Public Reading 
Room, 2753 S. Highland Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109, 702-295-1274
U.S. Department of Energy Technical Vocational Institute, Public 
Document Collection, 525 Buena Vista, SE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 
87106, 505-224-3281/3292
Los Alamos National Laboratory Community Reading Room, Museum Parke 
Office Complex, 1450 Central Avenue, Suite 101 Los Alamos, New 
Mexico 87544, 505-665-2127 or 1-800-543-2342
U.S. Department of Energy Public Document Room, 2nd Floor, 
University Library, University of South Carolina, Aiken Campus, 171 
University Parkway, Aiken, South Carolina 29801, 803-648-6851

[[Page 65564]]

Oak Ridge Public Reading Room, 55 Jefferson Avenue, Oak Ridge, 
Tennessee 37830, 615-576-0887
U.S. Department of Energy Public Reading Room, Reference Department, 
Lyn Library and Learning Center, Amarillo College, 2201 South 
Washington, 4th Floor Amarillo, Texas 79109, 806-371-5400
Pantex EIS Public Information Center, c/o Tetra Tech, Inc., 6900 I-
40 West, Suite 260, Amarillo, Texas, 806-355-9480
U.S. Department of Energy Public Reading Room, Carson County Public 
Library, 401 Main Street, P.O. Box 339, Panhandle, Texas 79068, 806-
537-3742
U.S. Department of Energy Public Reading Room, Washington State 
University, 100 Sprout Road, Richland, Washington, 99352, 509-376-
8583

    DOE intends to issue a Record of Decision at least 30 days after 
the date of the Environmental Protection Agency Notice of Availability 
and will publish it in the Federal Register.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on December 9, 1996.
Gary T. Palmer,
Environmental Specialist, Office of Environmental and Technical 
Support, Defense Programs.
[FR Doc. 96-31653 Filed 12-12-96; 8:45 am]
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