[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 182 (Friday, September 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49209-49212]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-24951]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Intent To Prepare a High-Level Waste and Facilities 
Disposition Environmental Impact Statement, Idaho Falls, ID

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate alternatives for 
managing the high-level waste and associated radioactive wastes and 
facilities at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental 
Laboratory (INEEL). Under the terms of a 1995 Settlement Agreement with 
the State of Idaho, which has been incorporated into a court order, DOE 
agreed to treat high-level radioactive wastes currently stored at the 
Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) at INEEL and remove these wastes 
from Idaho. The proposed EIS, titled the High-Level Waste and 
Facilities Disposition Environmental Impact Statement, will assist the 
Department in making the decisions necessary for management of these 
radioactive wastes in a manner that will comply with applicable laws 
and regulations, and protect the environment and the health and safety 
of the workers and the public in a cost-effective manner.
    This EIS will be tiered from two Environmental Impact Statements: 
(1) the Department of Energy Programmatic Spent Nuclear Fuel Management 
and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Environmental Restoration and 
Waste Management Programs EIS (SNF & INEL EIS, issued in April 1995), 
and (2) the DOE Waste Management Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement (WM PEIS, issued in May 1997). As a result, this EIS will 
make use of previously developed information and analyses.
    The DOE's proposed action is to treat high-activity calcine and 
sodium-bearing liquid radioactive wastes in a new facility using a 
radionuclide partitioning technology to separate high-level waste from 
low-level waste. The proposed action would also include closure of 11 
underground storage tanks, the New Waste Calcining Facility, and 
associated laboratories and support buildings at the ICPP.
    This EIS will consider reasonable alternatives for treatment of the 
high-activity calcine and the sodium-bearing wastes, and for 
dispositioning of facilities associated with those wastes. Alternatives 
ranging from grouting wastes in existing high-level waste facilities at 
the ICPP Tank Farm to the complete removal and disposal of these wastes 
will be considered. Alternatives involving the separation of only the 
transuranic constituents from the wastes, separation of and removal of 
hazardous wastes, and full actinide and metal recovery will also be 
considered.
    DOE will conduct public scoping workshops on this proposed EIS on 
October 16, in Idaho Falls, ID and on October 23, 1997, in Boise, ID.

DATES: DOE announces two public workshops and welcomes public 
discussion on the scope of the EIS, including the alternatives the 
Department is considering. This public scoping period begins with the 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register and will continue 
until November 24, 1997. DOE invites other Federal agencies, Native 
American tribes, State and local governments and the general public to 
comment on the scope of this EIS.
    Two public workshops will be held during this scoping period:

[[Page 49210]]

    1. October 16, 1997, 7:00-9:30 p.m. at Shilo Inn, 780 Lindsay 
Blvd., Idaho Falls, ID.
    2. October 23, 1997, 6:00-8:30 p.m. Boise Centre on the Grove, 
Boise, ID.
    These workshops will provide the public with information about the 
proposed project, and an opportunity to suggest reasonable alternatives 
that the Department should consider. Written comments may be submitted 
to the DOE at these workshops, sent by facsimile to (208) 526-5678, or 
mailed to the EIS Document Manager, Mr. T. L. Wichmann, at the address 
listed below.
    To ensure consideration, DOE must receive scoping comments by 
November 24, 1997, although DOE will consider comments received after 
November 24, 1997, to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: To request information about this EIS, or to be placed on 
the EIS document distribution list, please call the 24-hour toll-free 
information line at 1-888-918-5100. Written comments on this EIS should 
be sent to: Thomas L. Wichmann, High-Level Waste and Facilities 
Disposition EIS, U.S. Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office, 
785 DOE Place, MS 1108, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, Facsimile: (208) 526-
5678.
    For general information about the DOE National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA) process, please contact: Carol Borgstrom, Director, Office 
of NEPA Policy and Assistance (EH-42), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0119, Phone: (202) 586-
4600, Messages: (800) 472-2756, Facsimile: (202) 586-7031.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Agency Action

    The Department of Energy must decide how to treat, store, and 
dispose of high-level radioactive waste that has been generated by 
spent fuel and irradiated target reprocessing operations at the INEEL. 
Most of the high-level waste at the ICPP resulted from reprocessing 
spent nuclear fuel to recover enriched uranium from naval reactor fuel, 
and from reprocessing miscellaneous government and ``special case'' 
commercial nuclear fuel materials. This waste typically contains highly 
radioactive, short-lived fission products as well as long-lived 
radioactive isotopes. High-level waste at the ICPP is ``mixed waste'' 
because in addition to radioactive substances, it contains hazardous 
chemicals and toxic heavy metals that are regulated under the Resource 
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) or constituents that exhibit 
hazardous characteristics (e.g., corrosivity) as defined under RCRA. To 
protect the environment and public health, the highly radioactive and 
long-lived radioactive portions of this waste must be stabilized and 
isolated from the human environment (as in a geologic repository), 
after the chemically hazardous constituents have been appropriately 
treated.
    The INEEL reprocessed spent nuclear fuel at the ICPP from 1952 to 
1990, resulting in liquid radioactive waste that is stored at the ICPP 
Tank Farm. The Tank Farm consists of eleven 300,000-gallon underground 
stainless steel tanks surrounded by concrete vaults. Since 1963, this 
liquid radioactive waste has been undergoing conversion into a dry, 
stable, granular powder called calcine, using the waste calcining 
facility at the ICPP. Calcined waste would require additional treatment 
to be suitable for disposal in a geologic repository. The calcine 
material is presently stored in above- and below-ground bins at the 
ICPP, referred to as the ``calcine bin sets.''
    Radioactive liquid waste resulting from the cleanup of extraction 
plant solvent and decontamination processes at the ICPP also is stored 
in the Tank Farm. This waste contains large quantities of sodium and 
potassium nitrates with transuranic radioactive isotopes (i.e., 
isotopes having atomic numbers greater than uranium) that have long 
decay times. This waste, although not produced from spent nuclear fuel 
reprocessing, historically has been managed as high-level waste because 
some of its physical and chemical properties are similar to those of 
high-level waste. Additional waste testing and characterization may 
result in its reclassification as mixed transuranic waste or mixed low-
level waste.
    In October 1995, the State of Idaho, the Department of the Navy, 
and the Department of Energy settled the cases of Public Service Co. of 
Colorado v. Batt, No. CV 91-0035-S-EJL (D. Id.) and United States v. 
Batt, No. CV-91-0065-S-EJL (D.Id.). Certain conditions of the Idaho 
Settlement Agreement/Court Order obligate the Department to:
     Complete the process of calcining all remaining non-sodium 
bearing liquid high-level waste by June 30, 1998;
     Commence negotiating with the State of Idaho by December 
1999 a plan and schedule for the treatment of calcined waste;
     Complete the calcination of sodium-bearing liquid high-
level wastes by December 2012; and
     Treat all high-level waste currently at the INEEL so that 
it is ready to be moved out of Idaho by a target date of 2035.
    As part of its proposed management strategy, DOE proposes to use 
radionuclide partitioning for radioactive liquid and calcine waste 
treatment, grouting for immobilizing the resulting low-level waste 
stream, and glass vitrification for immobilizing the resultant high-
level waste stream. The EIS will analyze the proposed action and 
reasonable waste management alternatives to meet the requirements of 
the Settlement Agreement/Court Order and other applicable requirements.

The EIS Schedule

    The Settlement Agreement/Court Order mandates that the ICPP high-
level radioactive waste be prepared for removal from the State of Idaho 
by a target date of 2035. Although the Settlement Agreement/Court Order 
in this regard requires only that DOE issue a Record of Decision (ROD) 
no later than December 31, 2009, based on an EIS that analyzes 
alternatives for treating calcined wastes, DOE plans to complete a more 
inclusive EIS and to issue a ROD by September 1999. DOE is pursuing 
this more aggressive schedule so that it can better ensure meeting its 
commitments effectively and in a timely manner.

Proposed Action

    The INEEL Tank Farm currently stores 3,800 cubic meters of calcined 
high-level waste in the bin sets, and approximately 1.7 million gallons 
of high-level and sodium bearing liquid wastes. The wastes contain 
hazardous constituents that are regulated under RCRA. These wastes also 
contain transuranic radionuclides. DOE proposes to treat these wastes 
by separating, for disposal in a geologic repository, the high-level 
radioactive constituents from those constituents that could be 
classified as low-level waste. Hazardous wastes would also be separated 
from these materials and further treated as required by the RCRA land 
disposal restrictions. The low-level radioactive waste would be 
disposed of on or off the INEEL, depending on decisions to be made 
based on the WM PEIS.
    Under the Proposed Action, the Tank Farm, bin sets, associated 
support buildings, structures, laboratories and the New Waste Calcining 
Facility would be decontaminated and decommisioned according to a cost-
effective, legally compliant, and environmentally sound approach. This 
EIS will examine a reasonable range of alternatives, such as various 
methods of separating radioactive materials, using different

[[Page 49211]]

materials for encapsulating wastes, options for Tank Farm 
decontamination and decommissioning, and options for treatment of waste 
residues left in tanks and calcine bins. DOE would especially 
appreciate suggestions on alternatives that should be examined.

Preliminary Alternatives

No Action

    The Council on Environmental Quality NEPA Regulations (40 CFR parts 
1500-1508), and the DOE NEPA Regulations (10 CFR part 1021) require 
analysis of a no-action alternative. Under the no-action alternative, 
DOE would continue current high-level radioactive waste management 
operations at the ICPP until all residual waste that can be removed 
from the tanks using existing waste transfer equipment is calcined, but 
actions to prepare the waste for disposal would not be taken. Once 
operations are completed, all high-level waste treatment and storage 
facilities at the ICPP would be placed in a stand-by operational 
condition. The calcined high-level waste would be stored in the 
existing bin sets, and residual waste (i.e., the approximately 30,000-
40,000 gallons of liquid and solid tank wastes that would remain when 
the tanks have been emptied using existing waste transfer equipment) 
would remain in the Tank Farm indefinitely.

Non-Separation

    Under the Non-Separation alternative, DOE will analyze options for 
treating the liquid and calcine high-level waste to forms that are 
suitable for permanent disposal in-place at the INEEL, or outside of 
the State of Idaho in a geologic repository. The calcine would be pre-
treated as necessary, and immobilized in a glass, glass-ceramic, or 
cementatious form, which would be encapsulated in cylinders or cast 
into shapes suitable for placement into transportation and disposal 
containers for disposal outside of the State of Idaho. Under this 
alternative the residual liquid high-level waste remaining in the Tank 
Farm would be solidified or grouted, and the tanks would be closed in 
accordance with RCRA requirements. As described under the Proposed 
Action, the ICPP Tank Farm, bin sets, associated support buildings, 
structures, laboratories and the New Waste Calcining Facility would be 
decontaminated and decommissioned in a cost-effective, legally 
compliant, and environmentally sound manner.

Related NEPA Decisions and Reviews

    This EIS will use and supplement as necessary, the information and 
analysis contained in: (1) the Department of Energy Programmatic Spent 
Nuclear Fuel Management and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory 
Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Programs Environmental 
Impact Statement (DOE/EIS-0203-F); and (2) the DOE Waste Management 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DOE/EIS-0200-F).
    Volume 2 of the SNF & INEL EIS, issued in April 1995, is a site-
wide EIS for the INEEL. Among other matters, Volume 2 analyzed the 
potential environmental impacts associated with ongoing high-level 
waste treatment, storage and management operations at the INEEL. In a 
ROD based on this EIS (60 FR 28680), the Department decided to resume 
operation of the New Waste Calcining Facility, to convert the high-
level liquid and sodium-bearing liquid waste to calcine prior to 
further treatment. The Department also decided to construct a facility 
to treat the calcined high-level waste (and any remaining liquid waste) 
in accordance with RCRA requirements and on a schedule to be negotiated 
with the State of Idaho under the Federal Facility Compliance Act.
    The DOE WM PEIS, issued May 1997, is a DOE complex-wide study 
examining the environmental impacts associated with managing five types 
of radioactive and hazardous wastes generated by past, present, and 
reasonably foreseeable future activities at a variety of sites located 
around the United States. The five types of waste examined by the WM 
PEIS are low-level mixed waste, low-level waste, transuranic waste, 
hazardous waste, and high-level waste. The WM PEIS characterizes and 
identifies volumes of high-level waste at DOE facilities nationwide, 
including the INEEL, and uses/updates information presented in the SNF 
& INEL EIS. The preferred alternative in the WM PEIS for high-level 
waste storage is for each of the four sites (one of which is INEEL) 
with immobilized high-level waste canisters to store its own 
immobilized waste onsite until shipment to a geologic repository for 
disposal. A high-level waste WM PEIS Record of Decision has not yet 
been issued.
    In addition to the programmatic EISs described above, other related 
NEPA analyses and documents that will be considered in the analyses of 
this EIS include:
     The Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project (AMWTP) EIS--
this EIS will analyze the possible environmental impacts of thermal 
treatment of transuranic and mixed transuranic waste. The AMWTP is 
potentially relevant to the proposed High-Level Waste and Facilities 
Disposition EIS because a small portion of the inventory of radioactive 
waste at the ICPP is being considered for treatment at the proposed 
AMWTP. A notice of intent to prepare this EIS will be issued shortly.
     The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Disposal Phase 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS II)--the SEIS II 
analyzes the treatment and storage of transuranic waste and disposal of 
such waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, New Mexico. 
The Draft SEIS II was issued in November 1996; the Final SEIS II is in 
preparation. Some radioactive waste at ICPP may be affected by 
decisions based on the SEIS II.
     The Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear 
Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain Environmental 
Impact Statement--this EIS will analyze the potential environmental 
impacts associated with the disposal of high-level waste and spent 
nuclear fuel in a potential geologic repository at Yucca Mountain in 
Nevada. The draft EIS is scheduled to be issued in July 1999. A Final 
EIS, scheduled for August 2000, would accompany any DOE recommendation 
to the President whether to develop Yucca Mountain as a geologic 
disposal site. INEEL's high-level waste could be eligible for disposal 
at Yucca Mountain.

Preliminary Identification of EIS Issues

     Potential environmental impacts on the Snake River Plain 
Aquifer.
     Effects of emissions and discharges from the treatment of 
liquid and calcined high-level waste.
     Effects of the storage of encapsulated high-level waste at 
the INEEL.
     Potential effects on the public and workers from exposure 
to radiological and hazardous wastes during normal operations and 
reasonably foreseeable accidents.
     Potential effects on air, soil, and water quality from 
normal operations and reasonably foreseeable accidents.
     Potential effects on members of the public, including 
minority and low income populations from normal operations and 
reasonably foreseeable accidents.
     Impacts on cultural and historic resources.
     Pollution prevention, waste minimization, and energy and 
water use

[[Page 49212]]

reduction technologies to eliminate or significantly reduce use of 
energy, water, and hazardous substances, and to minimize environmental 
impacts.
     External regulation of DOE operations and possible 
privatization of high-level waste treatment.
     Potential use of the constituents contained in high-level 
waste.
     Compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local 
requirements and the Settlement Agreement/Court Order.
     Cumulative environmental impacts of all past, present and 
reasonably foreseeable future operations at the INEEL.
     The potential irreversible and irretrievable commitment of 
resources, including the ultimate use of INEEL lands and land occupied 
by the ICPP.
     Potential environmental impacts, including long term risks 
to people, associated with Tank Farm facility closure and on-site waste 
disposal.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on September 15, 1997.
Peter N. Brush,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety and 
Health.
[FR Doc. 97-24951 Filed 9-18-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P