[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 166 (Thursday, August 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45802-45803]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23063]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Production of Tritium in a Commercial Light Water Reactor

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 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Production of 
Tritium in a Commercial Light Water Reactor (hereafter referred to as 
the CLWR Draft EIS), and the dates and locations for public meetings to 
receive comments on the CLWR Draft EIS. The purpose of the CLWR Draft 
EIS is to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with producing 
tritium at one or more commercial light water reactors. Tritium, a 
radioactive gas, is a necessary component of every weapon in the 
Nation's nuclear weapons stockpile.

ADDRESSES AND FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of the CLWR Draft 
EIS and/or its Summary may be obtained upon request by mail (U.S. 
Department of Energy, Commercial Light Water Reactor Project Office, 
Attn: Mr. Jay Rose, P.O. Box 44539, Washington, D.C. 20026-4539), by 
fax (1-800-631-0612), by phone (1-800-332-0801), or electronically 
(CLWR web site: http://www.dp.doe.gov/dp-62).
    Specific information regarding the public meetings can be obtained 
by calling 1-800-332-0801, writing to the address above, or 
electronically via the CLWR web site: http://www.dp.doe.gov/dp-62.
    For general information on the DOE NEPA process, please contact: 
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, (202) 586-4600 or leave a message at (800) 472-
2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy is responsible for 
supplying nuclear materials for strategic defense needs and for 
ensuring that the nuclear weapons stockpile remains safe and reliable. 
Tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, is an essential component 
of every nuclear weapon in the current and projected U.S. nuclear 
weapons stockpile. Unlike other materials used in nuclear weapons, 
tritium decays rapidly, at a rate of 5.5 percent per year. Accordingly, 
as long as the Nation relies on a nuclear deterrent, the tritium in 
each nuclear weapon must be replenished periodically. Currently, the 
U.S. nuclear weapons complex does not have the capability to produce 
the amounts of tritium that will be required to support the Nation's 
stockpile.
    The CLWR Draft EIS evaluates the environmental impacts associated 
with producing tritium at one or more of the following five CLWRs: (1) 
Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 1 (Spring City, Tennessee); (2) Sequoyah 
Nuclear Plant, Unit 1 (Soddy Daisy, Tennessee); (3) Sequoyah Nuclear 
Plant, Unit 2 (Soddy Daisy, Tennessee); (4) Bellefonte Nuclear Plant, 
Unit 1 (Hollywood, Alabama); and (5) Bellefonte Nuclear Plant, Unit 2 
(Hollywood, Alabama). More specifically, the CLWR Draft EIS analyzes 
the potential environmental impacts associated with fabricating 
tritium-producing burnable absorber rods (TPBARs), transporting non-
irradiated TPBARs from the fabrication facility to the reactor sites, 
irradiating TPBARs in the reactors, and transporting irradiated TPBARs 
from the reactors to a tritium extraction facility that would be 
established at the Savannah River Site. The CLWR Draft EIS also 
evaluates the No Action alternative. Under this alternative, the 
stockpile requirements for tritium would have to be met by the 
construction and operation of an accelerator at DOE's Savannah River 
Site.
    The Department does not have a preferred alternative at this time 
for the CLWR Draft EIS. The CLWR Final EIS will include any preferred 
alternative. However, the Department may choose to identify a preferred 
alternative prior to issuing the CLWR Final EIS.
    The Department is inviting members of Congress, American Indian 
Tribal Governments, state and local

[[Page 45803]]

governments, other Federal agencies, and the general public to provide 
comments on the CLWR Draft EIS. The 60-day comment period starts on 
August 28, 1998, and will end on October 27, 1998. As part of the 
review period, the Department has scheduled three public meetings for 
the following dates, times, and locations.
October 1, 1998, 7 p.m.
    North Augusta Community Center, 495 Brookside Avenue, North 
Augusta, SC 29842, (803) 441-4290
October 6, 1998, 7 p.m.
    Northeast Alabama Community College, Tom Bevill Lyceum, 138 Alabama 
Highway 35 West, Rainsville, AL 35986, (205) 638-7044
October 8, 1998, 7 p.m.
    Rhea County High School, Auditorium, 405 Pierce Road, Evensville, 
TN 37332, (423) 775-7821

    Registration will begin 45 minutes before the beginning of each 
meeting.
    Comments may also be submitted by mail (U.S. Department of Energy, 
Commercial Light Water Reactor Project Office, Attn: Mr. Jay Rose, P.O. 
Box 44539, Washington, D.C. 20026-4539), by fax (1-800-631-0612), by 
phone (1-800-332-0801), or electronically (CLWR web site: http://
www.dp.doe.gov/dp-62). The Department will consider all comments 
postmarked by October 27, 1998, in preparing the CLWR Final EIS. Later 
comments will be considered to the extent practicable. The CLWR Final 
EIS is scheduled to be completed by December 31, 1998. A Record of 
Decision would be issued no sooner than 30 days after the CLWR Final 
EIS is issued.

    Signed in Washington, D.C. this 21st day of August, 1998.
Thomas F. Gioconda,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Defense Programs.
[FR Doc. 98-23063 Filed 8-26-98; 8:45 am]
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