[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 96 (Monday, May 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27241-27242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13030]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Supplemental Record of Decision; Savannah River Site Waste 
Management, Savannah River Operations Office, Aiken, South Carolina

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Supplemental Record of Decision.

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SUMMARY: DOE announces decisions concerning certain activities to be 
undertaken and facilities to be constructed and operated that further 
implement the Moderate Treatment Configuration Alternative for mixed 
low-level radioactive waste and transuranic waste. These decisions are 
based on the Savannah River Site (SRS) Waste Management Environmental 
Impact Statement (WMEIS) and are consistent with the completed 
negotiations between DOE and the State of South Carolina.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding SRS 
waste management, write or call: A. R. Grainger, Engineering and 
Analysis Division, SR NEPA Compliance Officer, Savannah River 
Operations Office, P.O. Box 5031, Aiken, South Carolina 29804, Phone/
FAX: (800) 242-8269, e-mail: [email protected].
    For general information on the U.S. Department of Energy National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, write or call: Ms. Carol M. 
Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance (EH-42), U.S. 
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 
20585-0119, telephone: (202) 586-4600, or leave a message at (800) 472-
2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In July 1995, DOE issued the SRS WMEIS (DOE/EIS-0217) to evaluate 
the potential environmental impacts and costs of storing, treating, 
and/or disposing of certain wastes at SRS. In an October 1995 Record of 
Decision (ROD) (60 FR 55249, October 30, 1995), DOE announced its 
intention to implement the Moderate Treatment Configuration 
Alternative, including continuation of existing activities and 
operation of existing facilities, waste recycling, operation of the 
Consolidated Incineration Facility (CIF), low-level radioactive waste 
volume reduction, and operation of a mobile soil sort facility. The ROD 
also announced decisions regarding high-and low-level radioactive, 
hazardous, transuranic and alpha low-level radioactive wastes, and some 
mixed (radioactive and hazardous) wastes. DOE stated that it would 
issue additional RODs on mixed low-level radioactive waste and 
transuranic waste, including mixed transuranic waste, after completing 
negotiations with the State of South Carolina under the Federal 
Facility Compliance Act of 1992 (FFCAct).
    This ROD supplements the October 1995 ROD by announcing DOE's 
decision to take additional measures to further implement the Moderate 
Treatment Configuration Alternative for mixed low-level radioactive 
waste and transuranic waste. These decisions are based on the SRS WMEIS 
and are consistent with the completed negotiations between DOE and the 
State of South Carolina. DOE prepared this ROD pursuant to the 
regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing 
NEPA (Title 40--Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1580)) 
and DOE's NEPA Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 1021).
    SRS occupies approximately 800 square kilometers (300 square miles) 
adjacent to the Savannah River, principally in Aiken and Barnwell 
counties of South Carolina, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southeast of 
Augusta, Georgia, and about 32 kilometers (20 miles) south of Aiken, 
South Carolina. DOE's primary mission at SRS from the 1950s until the 
recent end of the Cold War was the production and processing of nuclear 
materials to support defense programs. The end of the Cold War has led 
to a reduction in the size of the United States nuclear arsenal. Many 
of the facilities that were used to manufacture, assemble, and maintain 
the arsenal are no longer needed. Some of these facilities can be 
converted to new uses through decontamination processes; others must be 
decommissioned. Wastes generated during the Cold War must be cleaned up 
in a safe and cost-effective manner. In addition, DOE must comply with 
applicable environmental requirements in managing wastes that may be 
generated in the future.
    Mixed wastes are regulated under both the Atomic Energy Act and the 
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as amended by the 
FFCAct. The FFCAct required DOE to prepare Site Treatment Plans (STP) 
that identified options for treating mixed wastes currently in storage 
or that will be generated within the next five years at DOE sites, 
including SRS. For the SRS, DOE developed a STP that the State of South 
Carolina reviewed and subsequently approved on September 20, 1995. A 
Consent Order was executed between DOE and the State of South Carolina 
on September 29, 1995, specifying implementation requirements for the 
approved STP. Simultaneous with the development of the SRS STP, the SRS 
WMEIS evaluated the potential environmental impacts of STP-identified 
treatment options. Negotiations with the State of South Carolina under 
the FFCAct were an essential part of the decisionmaking process 
regarding mixed low-level radioactive waste and transuranic waste 
management.
    This ROD deals, in part, with the characterization and treatment of 
certain mixed low-level radioactive waste. DOE is in the process of 
completing additional programmatic analyses

[[Page 27242]]

concerning the treatment and disposal of mixed low-level radioactive 
waste at locations around the United States under the DOE Waste 
Management Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, and has agreed 
to continue negotiations with potentially affected States. After such 
negotiations are completed and DOE has announced appropriate 
programmatic decisions, DOE may issue an additional SRS ROD(s) on the 
treatment and disposal of mixed low-level radioactive waste.

Alternatives Considered

    In the SRS WMEIS, DOE analyzed three alternatives, in addition to 
the no action alternative, for managing mixed low-level radioactive 
waste and transuranic waste in a manner that would protect human health 
and the environment, comply with regulatory requirements, and save 
money. The three treatment alternatives considered in the SRS WMEIS 
(limited, moderate, and extensive) addressed treatment, storage, or 
disposal facilities required for three forecasts of potential waste 
volumes (minimum, expected, and maximum).
    The Moderate Treatment Configuration Alternative previously 
selected by DOE consists of the siting, construction, and operation of 
facilities and the implementation of management techniques to provide a 
balanced mix of technologies that include extensive treatment of those 
waste types that have the greatest potential to adversely affect the 
public or the environment, because of their mobility or toxicity if 
left untreated, or that would remain highly radioactive far into the 
future. This alternative provides less rigorous treatment than the 
Extensive Treatment Configuration Alternative of wastes that do not 
pose high potential for harm to humans or the environment or that will 
not remain highly radioactive far into the future. For each mixed waste 
stream, the STP identified treatment options and a preferred treatment. 
The Moderate Treatment Configuration Alternative includes the preferred 
treatments for mixed waste described in the approved STP and utilizes, 
to the maximum extent practicable, existing facilities.

Environmentally Preferable Alternative

    In DOE's judgment, as identified in the October 1995 ROD, the 
Extensive Treatment Configuration Alternative is environmentally 
preferable because it would minimize potential long-term environmental 
impacts as a result of achieving more stable, migration-resistant waste 
forms. DOE recognizes, however, that this treatment alternative would 
result in greater short-term impacts to workers.

Decision

Determination

    To further implement the Moderate Treatment Configuration 
Alternative for mixed low-level radioactive waste and transuranic 
waste, DOE selects the following actions, which are the preferred 
options in the SRS STP and were not addressed in the October 1995 ROD:
     Send elemental mercury and other mercury-contaminated low-
level radioactive waste offsite for treatment. Residuals will be 
returned to SRS.
     Vitrify two additional wastes, uranium chromium solutions 
and waste site soils (spill soils), in the M-Area Vendor Treatment 
Facility.
     Construct and operate a containment building for the 
characterization, certification, decontamination, shredding, and 
macroencapsulation of mixed low-level radioactive waste, including 
glass, metal, organic, inorganic, and heterogeneous debris, bulk 
equipment, and lead wastes.
     Construct and operate a transuranic waste 
characterization/certification facility to characterize, repackage, and 
certify alpha-contaminated low-level wastes and transuranic wastes.

Reasons for Determination

    DOE has reviewed the SRS WMEIS and has determined that the 
information is current and the analyses remain valid. DOE previously 
selected the Moderate Treatment Configuration Alternative for SRS to 
provide adequate protection of human health and the environment, and to 
be consistent with expected budgetary limitations. These considerations 
also apply to the mixed waste characterization and treatment 
technologies under the Moderate Treatment Configuration Alternative. 
These technologies are consistent with the preferred treatments 
identified in the approved STP.

Environmental Impacts

    DOE has determined that these mixed and transuranic waste decisions 
would have small impacts within the eight resource categories addressed 
in the SRS WMEIS (socioeconomic, groundwater, surface water, air, 
traffic, transportation, occupational health, and public health). These 
activities constitute only a portion of the activities whose potential 
impacts were considered under the Moderate Treatment Configuration 
Alternative, and the total impacts of the Alternative as a whole are 
expected to be small. Potential impacts on land use and ecological 
resources are expected to be small because any additional acreage 
required would be included within the current boundary of the area at 
SRS designated for waste management activities.

Mitigation

    DOE believes that all practicable means to avoid and minimize 
environmental harm from the Moderate Treatment Configuration 
Alternative have already been adopted. If archaeological resources are 
found in the course of implementing the alternative, mitigation--
including avoiding the resources if possible--will be conducted in 
consultation with the South Carolina State Historical Preservation 
Office.

Conclusion

    DOE has selected certain actions for managing some mixed low-level 
radioactive waste and transuranic waste at SRS to further implement the 
Moderate Treatment Configuration Alternative. In making this decision, 
DOE considered beneficial and adverse environmental impacts, monetary 
costs, and regulatory commitments.

    Issued in Washington, DC on May 9, 1997.
Alvin L. Alm,
Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management.
[FR Doc. 97-13030 Filed 5-16-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P