[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 167 (Friday, August 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46006-46009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23264]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement on Management of Certain Plutonium Residues and Scrub Alloy 
Stored at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site

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 on Management of Certain 
Plutonium Residues and Scrub Alloy Stored at the Rocky Flats 
Environmental Technology Site (DOE/EIS-0277F, August 1998). The Final 
EIS analyzes reasonable alternatives for the management of certain 
plutonium residues and all of the scrub alloy at the Rocky Flats 
Environmental Technology Site (Rocky Flats) near Golden, Colorado. 
Plutonium residues and scrub alloy are materials that were generated 
while processing plutonium during the manufacture of components for 
nuclear weapons. The Final EIS analyzes processing technologies for 
various material categories of residues (e.g., ash, salts, fluorides) 
and the scrub alloy. Processing of these materials is needed to address 
health and safety issues associated with their continued storage and to 
prepare them for disposal or other disposition. DOE has prepared this 
Final EIS pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 
U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), in accordance with the Council on Environmental 
Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA 
(40 CFR Parts 1500-1508) and the DOE NEPA implementing regulations (10 
CFR Part 1021).
    DOE analyzed four alternatives, in addition to the Preferred 
Alternative, for each of the categories of Rocky Flats plutonium 
residues and scrub alloy. The Final EIS identifies the rationale for 
identifying the treatment technologies as preferred.
    All of the alternatives analyzed in the Final EIS were either 
analyzed in the Draft EIS or are composed of elements of alternatives 
analyzed in the Draft EIS, with the exception of two new candidate 
processing technologies similar to technologies analyzed in the Draft 
EIS. Nevertheless, because certain

[[Page 46007]]

alternatives were not presented to the public in the form in which they 
appear in this Final EIS, and in furtherance of public involvement in 
the NEPA process, DOE has decided to issue phased Records of Decision 
for this Final EIS. The first Record of Decision will cover only those 
materials for which the preferred processing technology was analyzed in 
the Draft EIS, and for which any variances to safeguards termination 
limits discussed in the Draft EIS had already been granted. The first 
Record of Decision will be issued no sooner than 30 days after issuance 
of the Final EIS. The second Record of Decision will cover the 
remaining materials within the scope of the EIS (e.g., as discussed in 
Section 1.4.2 of the Final EIS). Prior to issuing the second Record of 
Decision, DOE is providing a 45-day comment period that begins with 
publication of the Environmental Protection Agency's Notice of 
Availability regarding this Final EIS as discussed in the Dates section 
below, and will resolve any comments received.
    The Final EIS is available to the public in the public reading 
rooms listed below in the ``Availability of Copies of the Final EIS'' 
section of this Notice. The Final EIS is also available by mail upon 
request by contacting the Center for Environmental Management 
Information as specified under ADDRESSES below.

DATES: The public is invited to comment on the processing technologies 
for a subset of the plutonium residue material categories addressed by 
the Final EIS, as specified in Section 1.4.2 of the Final EIS. The 
public comment period begins with publication of the Environmental 
Protection Agency's Notice of Availability regarding this Final EIS in 
the Federal Register (August 28, 1998), and continues through October 
12, 1998. All comments received by October 12, 1998, will be considered 
when preparing the second Record of Decision or taking other actions in 
response to the comments. Comments received after the close of the 
comment period will be considered to the degree practical.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the Final EIS should be directed to: 
Center for Environmental Management Information, P.O. Box 23769, 
Washington, DC 20026-3769.
    Copies may also be requested by calling 1-800-736-3282 (or 202-863-
5084 in Washington, DC).
    Written comments on the Final EIS may be submitted to the following 
address: Mr. Charles R. Head, Senior Technical Advisor, Office of 
Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization (EM-60), Environmental 
Management, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W., 
Washington, DC 20585-0001.
    Written comments may also be submitted electronically as follows: 
Via E-Mail to [email protected], or Via facsimile to Mr. Charles R. 
Head at (202) 586-5393.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the Final 
EIS, please contact Mr. Charles R. Head at the address specified above.
    For general information on the DOE NEPA process, please write or 
call: Ms. Carol Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and 
Assistance (EH-42), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence 
Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20585, Telephone: 202-586-4600, or leave a 
message at 1-800-472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the Final EIS, DOE analyzes processing 
certain plutonium-bearing materials being stored at Rocky Flats near 
Golden, Colorado. These materials are plutonium residues and scrub 
alloy remaining from nuclear weapons manufacturing operations formerly 
conducted by DOE at this site. In their present forms, these materials 
cannot be disposed of or otherwise be prepared for final disposition 
because they contain plutonium in concentrations exceeding DOE 
safeguards termination requirements. The term ``safeguards'' refers to 
those measures (e.g., recordkeeping, monitoring, and physical 
protection) that DOE and other organizations holding nuclear materials 
must take to ensure that the materials are not stolen or diverted for 
illicit purposes.
    The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board has raised health and 
safety concerns regarding the current storage of plutonium residues and 
scrub alloy at Rocky Flats. The proposed processing will address the 
concerns raised by the Board and also will prepare the plutonium 
residues and scrub alloy for disposal or other disposition.

Alternatives

    DOE has identified and assessed the following alternatives for 
processing these plutonium-bearing materials:
    1. Alternative 1 (No Action--Stabilize and Store). This alternative 
consists of stabilization or repackaging to prepare the material for 
interim storage as described in the Rocky Flats Solid Residue 
Environmental Assessment (Solid Residue Treatment, Repackaging, and 
Storage Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact, DOE/
EA-1120, Rocky Flats Field Office, April 1996). Under this alternative, 
further processing to prepare the material for disposal or other 
disposition would not occur. Because scrub alloy was not addressed in 
the Rocky Flats Solid Residue Environmental Assessment, the ``No 
Action'' alternative for scrub alloy has been defined as continued 
storage at Rocky Flats with repackaging, as necessary. Under this 
alternative, approximately 40 percent of the Rocky Flats plutonium 
residues and all of Rocky Flats scrub alloy would be left in forms that 
would not meet the requirements for termination of safeguards, making 
these materials ineligible for disposal. Thus, while implementation of 
this alternative would address the immediate health and safety concerns 
associated with near-term storage of the materials, the health and 
safety risks associated with potential long-term storage of these 
materials would remain.
    2. Alternative 2 (Processing Without Plutonium Separation). 
Processing to prepare the material for disposal as transuranic waste or 
for other disposition (i.e., meet safeguards termination limits). 
Processing technologies evaluated include immobilization and dilution, 
with all processing taking place at Rocky Flats.
    3. Alternative 3 (Processing With Plutonium Separation). This 
alternative would include use of various plutonium separation 
technologies, such as Purex, acid dissolution/plutonium oxide recovery, 
salt distillation, water leach, and others. On-site processing is 
evaluated at Rocky Flats for most of the residues and scrub alloy; off-
site processing is evaluated at the Savannah River Site for certain 
types of residues and the scrub alloy and the Los Alamos National 
Laboratory for certain salt residues only. The separated plutonium 
would be placed into safe and secure storage at the processing site 
pending disposition. The wastes left after separation of the plutonium 
would be disposed of.
    4. Alternative 4 (Combination of Processing Technologies). This 
alternative would include processing technologies that stabilize and 
blend down the residues, as necessary, so that the concentration of 
plutonium in the residues would be less than 10 percent. These residues 
would then be repackaged in preparation for disposal. Due to the 
relatively higher concentration of plutonium in the scrub alloy, no 
processing technology for scrub alloy was analyzed under this 
alternative. All processing under this alternative would be done at 
Rocky Flats.

[[Page 46008]]

    Alternative 4 would also require that a variance to safeguards 
termination limits be applied for any residues that would be sent to 
the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) for disposal because the 
residues would contain plutonium concentrations exceeding DOE 
safeguards termination limits. The variance is based on the combination 
of processing method, the waste management controls in place for normal 
handling of transuranic waste, and the limited quantity of special 
nuclear materials present at any particular place and time.
    5. Preferred Alternative Identified in the Final EIS. DOE has 
identified preferred processing technologies (collectively referred to 
as the Preferred Alternative) for each of the categories of Rocky Flats 
plutonium residues and scrub alloy. Under the Preferred Alternative, 
all materials would be processed at Rocky Flats except for sand, slag, 
and crucible; certain direct oxide reduction salts; fluoride residues; 
and scrub alloy. The salts would be processed at Los Alamos National 
Laboratory. The sand, slag and crucible; fluoride residues; and scrub 
alloy would be processed at the Savannah River Site. The Final EIS 
identifies the rationale for identifying the treatment technologies as 
preferred.

Public Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement

    Copies of the Draft EIS and/or the Summary were mailed to over 
1,000 individuals and organizations. The public comment period was held 
from November 25, 1997, to January 5, 1998. However, DOE continued to 
consider and accept comments received after the closing date. Written 
submissions were received from 39 individuals and organizations, 
generating about 200 comments. DOE held three public hearings at the 
potentially affected sites, attended by a total of approximately 50 
people. These meetings generated about 40 questions and comments. 
Chapter 9 of the Final EIS provides the Department's responses to the 
comments received. Most commentors commented on the alternatives and 
technical processes, the analyses presented in the EIS, and concerns 
such as storage, ultimate disposition, proliferation risks, 
transportation, environmental, safety and health risks, and costs.

Process and Schedule for Decisions

    All of the alternatives analyzed in the Final EIS were either 
analyzed in the Draft EIS or are composed of elements of alternatives 
analyzed in the Draft EIS, with the exception of two new candidate 
processing technologies similar to technologies analyzed in the Draft 
EIS. Nevertheless, because certain alternatives were not presented to 
the public in the form in which they appear in this Final EIS, and in 
furtherance of public involvement in the NEPA process, DOE has decided 
to issue phased Records of Decision for this Final EIS. The first 
Record of Decision will cover only those materials for which the 
preferred processing technology was analyzed in the Draft EIS, and for 
which any variances to safeguards termination limits discussed in the 
Draft EIS had already been granted (e.g., sand, slag, and crucible 
residues, low plutonium concentration direct oxide reduction salt 
residues, combustible residues, plutonium fluoride residues, Ful Flo 
filter media residues, glass residues, graphite residues, and inorganic 
residues, and the scrub alloy). The first Record of Decision will be 
issued no sooner than 30 days after issuance of the Final EIS. The 
second Record of Decision will cover the remaining materials within the 
scope of the EIS (e.g., incinerator ash residues, graphite fines 
residues, inorganic ash residues, molten salt extraction/
electrorefining salt residues, high plutonium concentration direct 
oxide reduction salt residues, HEPA filter media residues, and sludge 
residues). Prior to issuing the second Record of Decision, DOE is 
providing a 45-day comment period and will resolve any comments 
received.

Availability of Copies of the Final EIS

    The Final EIS has been distributed to interested Federal, State, 
and local agencies, and to individuals and organizations who have 
expressed an interest. Copies of the Final EIS are available for review 
in the following public reading rooms:

Simi Valley Public Library, 2629 Tapo Canyon Road, Simi Valley, CA 
93063
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, East Gate Visitors Center, 
Greenville Road, Livermore, CA 94550
CSU Northridge/Oviatt Library, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 
91330
U.S. Department of Energy, Oakland Operations Office, 1301 Clay 
Street, Room EIC, 8th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612
Platt Brand Public Library, 23600 Victory Boulevard, Woodland Hills, 
CA 91367
U.S. Department of Energy, Golden Field Office, Public Reading Room, 
14869 Denver West Parkway, Golden, CO 80401
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Superfund Records Center, 999 
18th Street, Floor 5, Denver, CO 80202
Rocky Flats Citizens Advisory Board, Public Reading Room, 9035 
Wadsworth Avenue, Suite 2250, Westminster, CO 80021
Standley Lake Public Reading Room, 8485 Kipling Street, Arvada, CO 
80005
Rocky Flats Public Reading Room, Front Range Community College 
Library, 3645 W. 112th Avenue, Westminster, CO 80030
University of Colorado Libraries, Government Publications, Campus 
Box 184, Boulder, CO 80309
Colorado Department of Public Health, 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South, 
Denver, CO 80222
Colorado School of Mines, Arthur Lakes Library, 1400 Illinois 
Street, P.O. Box 4029, Golden, CO 80401
Colorado State University, Library Documents Department, Ft. 
Collins, CO 80523
U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, FOI Room, 
1E-190, Forrestal Bldg., Washington, DC 20585
Pullen Public Library, 100 Decatur Street, SE, Atlanta, GA 30303
Chatham Effingham Library, 2002 Bull Street, Savannah, GA 31499
Reese Library, Augusta College, 2500 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30904
Georgia Institute of Technology, Bobby Dodd Way, Atlanta, GA 30332
Argonne National Laboratory, Technical Library, P.O. Box 2528, Idaho 
Falls, ID 83403
University of Illinois at Chicago, U.S. DOE Public Documents Room, 
801 S. Morgan Street, 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60607
East St. Louis Public Library, Dr. Ram Chauhan, 405 North 9th 
Street, East St. Louis, IL 62201
Lincoln Library, Reference Department, 326 South 7th Street, 
Springfield, IL 62701
Salina Public Library, Marc Boucher, Reference Librarian, 301 West 
Elm, Salina, KS 67401
Washburn Law Library, 1700 College, Topeka, KS 66621
Paducah Public Library, 555 Washington Street, Paducah, KY 42001
U.S. Department of Energy, Environmental Information Center, 175 
Freedom Boulevard, Kevil, KY 42053
Mid Continent Public Library, Blue Ridge Branch, 9253 Blue Ridge 
Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64138
St. Louis Public Library, 1301 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63103
Scenic Regional Library, 308 Hawthorn Drive, Union, MO 63084
Los Alamos Community Reading Room, 1350 Central Avenue, Suite 101, 
Los Alamos, NM 87544
U.S. Department of Energy, Albuquerque Operations Office, National 
Atomic Museum, 20358 Wyoming Boulevard SE, Kirtland Air Force Base, 
P.O. Box 5400, Albuquerque, NM 87185
U.S. Department of Energy, FOIA Reading Room, 4700 Morris NE, 
Albuquerque, NM 87111
U.S. Department of Energy, Technical Vocational Institute, Main 
Campus Library, 525 Buena Vista SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106
New Mexico State Library, 325 Don Gasper, Santa Fe, NM 87503
U.S. Department of Energy, Gregg Graniteville Library, 171 
University Parkway, Aiken, SC 29801
County Library, 404 King Street, Charleston, SC 29403

[[Page 46009]]

South Carolina State Library, 1500 Senate Street, P.O. Box 11469
Orangeburg County Free Library, 510 Louis Street NE, P.O. Box 1367, 
Orangeburg, SC 29116
Lawson McGhee Public Library, 500 West Church Avenue, Knoxville, TN 
37902
Nashville Public Library, 225 Polk Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203
U.S. Department of Energy, Public Reading Room, Oak Ridge Operations 
Office, 55 Jefferson Circle, Room 1123, Oak Ridge, TN 37831

    Copies of the Final EIS can also be obtained by contacting the 
Center for Environmental Management Information at the address, or via 
the telephone numbers, listed earlier in this Notice under Addresses.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on August 25, 1998.
David G. Huizenga,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Material and Facility 
Stabilization, Office of Environmental Management.
[FR Doc. 98-23264 Filed 8-26-98; 8:55 am]
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