[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 142 (Friday, July 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39836-39838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19880]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Advanced Mixed 
Waste Treatment Project (AMWTP) at the Idaho National Engineering and 
Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), Idaho Falls, Idaho

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability and public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of 
the Draft EIS for the AMWTP (DOE/EIS-0290D), at INEEL, Idaho Falls, 
Idaho. The Draft EIS evaluates the potential environmental impacts of 
DOE's proposed action as well as reasonable alternatives. The proposed 
action (preferred alternative) is to implement the remaining phases of 
a contract with BNFL Inc. to construct and operate the AMWTP. The AMWTP 
would sort, characterize, treat, and package for disposal 65,000 cubic 
meters of transuranic (TRU) waste, alpha-contaminated low-level mixed 
waste (alpha LLMW), and low-level mixed waste (LLMW) currently stored 
at the INEEL's Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC).
    An additional 120,000 cubic meters of similar waste from the INEEL 
and other DOE sites could be treated at the proposed AMWTP, depending 
on future DOE decisions.

DATES: The public comment period begins on July 24, 1998, and extends 
through September 11, 1998. DOE will consider comments postmarked or 
submitted after September 11, 1998, to the extent practicable. Oral and 
written comments will be received at public meetings on the dates and 
at the locations given below:
    1. Idaho Falls, Idaho, on Tuesday, August 18, 1998, from 7:00 p.m. 
to 9:30 p.m. at Eastern Idaho Technical College, Multipurpose Building 
Cafeteria, 1600 South 2500 East.
    2. Twin Falls, Idaho, on Thursday, August 20, 1998, from 6:30 p.m. 
to 9:00 p.m. at the College of Southern Idaho, Student Union Building, 
315 Falls Avenue.


[[Page 39837]]


ADDRESSES: Written comments, requests for further information on the 
Draft EIS or public meetings, and requests for copies of the document 
should be directed to Mr. John Medema, DOE AMWTP EIS NEPA Document 
Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office, 850 Energy 
Drive, Mail Stop 1117, Idaho Falls, ID 83401, 1-800-320-4549. Requests 
for copies of the Draft EIS can also be made using the Internet at 
[email protected]. Additionally, the Draft EIS is available for 
review on the Internet at http://dev/scientech.com/amwtp. Addresses of 
locations where the Draft EIS will be available for public review are 
listed in this notice under ``Availability of Copies of the Draft 
EIS.''
    General information on the DOE National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) process may be requested from Ms. Carol Borgstrom, Director, 
Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance (EH-42), U.S. Department of 
Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585. Ms. 
Borgstrom may be contacted by telephone at (202) 586-4600, or by 
leaving a message at 1-800-472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    From 1970 through the early 1980s, the INEEL accepted approximately 
65,000 cubic meters of TRU waste and alpha LLMW from other DOE sites. 
The wastes are primarily laboratory and processing wastes of various 
solid materials, including paper, cloth, plastics, rubber, glass, 
graphite, bricks, concrete, metals, nitrate salts, and absorbed 
liquids. All 65,000 cubic meters were managed by DOE as TRU waste when 
first placed in storage at the INEEL. The wastes were placed on an 
asphalt pad at the RWMC in their original containers and covered with 
plywood, sheets of plastic, and soil, forming an earthen-covered berm. 
The wastes have been in the berm since the early 1970s.
    Approximately 95% of this waste is classified as mixed waste which, 
because it contains both radioactive and chemically hazardous 
constituents, is regulated as hazardous waste under the Resource 
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Some of the wastes also contain 
polychlorinated biphenyls, which are regulated under the Toxic 
Substances Control Act. These wastes are intermingled in common 
containers. DOE needs to place these wastes in a configuration that 
will allow for their disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) 
near Carlsbad, NM or another appropriate facility, in a manner 
consistent with Federal and State laws and with the schedule contained 
in the October 17, 1995 Settlement Agreement/Consent Order in the case 
of Public Service Co. of Colorado v. Batt.
    Initial plans for dealing with these wastes were developed in the 
early 1990s, when studies indicated that significant cost and schedule 
savings could be realized if the treatment were privatized. In 1993 and 
1994, DOE sought and received feasibility studies for treatment 
services from various private sector teams. After careful evaluation, 
DOE decided to pursue procurement of treatment, assay and 
characterization services for TRU waste, alpha LLMW, and LLMW from the 
private sector. During 1995 and 1996, DOE carried out a competitive 
procurement process, resulting in the award of a phased contract to 
BNFL Inc. Because the proposed waste treatment project was subjected to 
competitive procurement, DOE conducted an environmental evaluation of 
each of the proposals submitted (see DOE's NEPA Implementation 
Procedures at 10 CFR 1021.216 for a description of this process), the 
results of which were summarized in an Environmental Synopsis. 
Following the selection of BNFL Inc., in December 1996, for this 
project, DOE requested more detailed data regarding the proposed 
process for managing these wastes in order to prepare the analyses 
reflected in the Draft EIS. If, after completing this EIS, DOE decides 
not to proceed with Phases II and III (construction and operation) of 
the project, the contract will be terminated.

Alternatives Considered

    The Draft EIS analyzes four alternatives:
    No Action (required under the Council on Environmental Quality and 
DOE NEPA regulations)--existing waste management operations, 
facilities, and projects would continue for TRU waste, alpha LLMW, and 
LLMW at the INEEL. Retrieval of waste from the berm would proceed, and 
the untreated retrieved waste would be stored in facilities otherwise 
complying with RCRA requirements. Shipments to WIPP would occur to the 
extent that such shipments could be supported by existing facilities at 
the INEEL. Waste that could not meet waste acceptance criteria for WIPP 
would be returned to RCRA-permitted storage facilities at the RWMC.
    Proposed Action (preferred alternative)--the BNFL treatment 
facility would be built and operated using the currently proposed 
treatment technologies of supercompaction, macroencapsulation, 
incineration, and vitrification. Waste would be treated to meet the 
WIPP waste acceptance criteria and the RCRA Land Disposal Restriction 
requirements. The facility would treat the approximately 65,000 cubic 
meters of INEEL waste by 2015, and would have the capacity to treat up 
to 120,000 cubic meters of additional waste by 2033.
    Non-Thermal Treatment Alternative--a modified AMWTP facility would 
be constructed and operated by BNFL Inc., but the thermal treatment 
process would not be a part of the system. Those wastes that do not 
require thermal treatment would be stabilized to meet WIPP waste 
acceptance criteria and RCRA Land Disposal Restriction requirements; 
wastes that require thermal treatment for disposal would be returned to 
storage at the RWMC.
    Treatment and Storage Alternative--construction and operation of 
the AMWTP facility would proceed as proposed by BNFL Inc. However, once 
treated, the waste would be returned to the RWMC for long-term storage 
in RCRA-permitted storage facilities, some of which may need to be 
constructed to accommodate this waste.
    DOE has also considered but not analyzed in detail other 
alternatives (i.e., treatment at other DOE sites, other treatment 
technologies--thermal and non-thermal), because they were technically 
infeasible; were not capable of processing the existing waste types; or 
were not available on the schedule necessary to accommodate DOE's 
agreement with the State of Idaho.

Availability of Copies of the Draft EIS

    Copies of the Draft EIS are being distributed to Federal, State and 
local officials and agencies; Tribes; and organizations and individuals 
who have indicated an interest in the INEEL or the Draft EIS. Addresses 
of DOE Public Reading Rooms and libraries where the Draft EIS will be 
available for public review are listed below:
University of Idaho Library, Rayburn Street, Moscow, Idaho 83844
Boise Outreach Office, INEEL, Boise City National Bank Building, 805 
West Idaho Street, Boise, Idaho 83706
Boise Public Library, 715 Capital Boulevard, Boise, Idaho 83706
Twin Falls Public Library, 434 2nd Street E, Twin Falls, Idaho 83301
Idaho State University Public Library, 741 South 7th Avenue, 
Pocatello, Idaho 83209
Shoshone-Bannock Library, Bannock and Pema Streets, PO Box 306, Fort 
Hall, Idaho 83203
INEEL Technical Library/DOE Public Reading Room, 2525 North Fremont 
Avenue, University Place, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402
Idaho Falls Public Library, 457 Broadway, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402

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Boise State University Library, Albertson Library, 1910 University 
Drive, Boise, Idaho 83705
Lewis-Clark State College, The Library, 500 8th Avenue, Lewiston, 
Idaho 83501
Gooding Public Library, 306 5th Avenue West, Gooding, Idaho 83330-
1205
Wallace Public Library, 415 River Street, Wallace, Idaho 83873-2260
New Mexico State Library, 325 Don Gaspar, Santa Fe, NM 87503
Carlsbad Public Library, 101 S. Halagueno St., Carlsbad, NM 88220
Zimmerman Library Government Publications Department University of 
New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131
DOE/Forrestal Building Freedom of Information Reading Room 1000 
Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20585

    Issued in Washington, DC this 21st day of July 1998.
James A. Turi,
Acting Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Waste Management, 
Environmental Management.
[FR Doc. 98-19880 Filed 7-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P