[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2000)] [Notices] [Pages 2142-2143] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 00-853] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Floodplain Statement of Findings for the Construction of a Groundwater Interceptor Trench at the Weldon Spring Site AGENCY: Office of Environmental Management, Department of Energy (DOE). ACTION: Floodplain Statement of Findings. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This is a Floodplain Statement of Findings for the Weldon Spring Site prepared in accordance with 10 CFR Part 1022, DOE Floodplain/Wetlands regulations. DOE proposes to construct a groundwater interceptor trench at the Weldon Spring Site, located in St. Charles County, Missouri. The proposed trench would be located within the 100-year floodplain of the Missouri River. DOE prepared a floodplain and wetlands assessment describing the effects, alternatives, and measures designed to avoid or minimize potential harm to or within the affected floodplain. There are no practicable alternatives to locating the action in the floodplain. DOE will allow 15 days of public review after publication of the statement of findings before implementing the proposed action. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Mr. Steve McCracken, Department of Energy, Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project, 7295 Highway 94 South, St. Charles, MO 63304, (636) 441-8978. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON GENERAL DOE FLOODPLAIN/WETLANDS ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW REQUIREMENTS, CONTACT: Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance, EH-42, Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20585, (202) 586-4600 or (800) 472-2756. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Floodplain Statement of Findings for the Weldon Spring Site is prepared in accordance with 10 CFR Part 1022. A Notice of Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement was published in the Federal Register on Monday, November 29, 1999, FR Doc. 99-30879, and a floodplain and wetlands assessment was prepared. The Record of Decision for Remedial Action for the Quarry Residuals Operable Unit of the Weldon Spring Site outlined field studies for evaluating the effectiveness of technologies to remediate uranium-impacted groundwater in the vicinity of the Weldon Spring Quarry. The DOE is proposing to construct a groundwater interceptor trench approximately 3.9 m (2.5 miles) southwest of the site within the State of Missouri Weldon Spring Conservation Area. This action is intended to evaluate the effectiveness of remediation through the extraction of contaminated groundwater using a groundwater interceptor trench. Under this action, the DOE would construct a 550-foot long trench approximately 90 m (300 feet) south of the quarry. The trench would be located between the Katy Trail and Femme Osage Slough, within the State of Missouri Weldon Spring Conservation Area, and approximately 1.4 km (0.88 mile) from the Missouri River. The trench would be backfilled with granular material and will have a compacted clay cap. The groundwater interceptor trench would provide continuous groundwater access for an extraction system. Contaminated groundwater would be removed from the trench and directed to a treatment plant. The trench would be operated up to two years. This action is proposed to be located in the floodplain because the contaminated groundwater is restricted to a small area between the quarry and the slough. Access to this groundwater by means of a trench is possible only from within the floodplain. Periodic flooding of this area in the past has had no effect on contaminant distribution. The only alternative to the proposed action is no-action. Under the no- action alternative, the trench would not be constructed and no attempt would be made to extract contaminated groundwater from the quarry area. There are no practicable alternatives to locating the action in the floodplain. The proposed action would conform to applicable federal, state, and local floodplain protection standards. Good engineering practices would be employed to control erosion and sedimentation to downstream surface waters and adjacent floodplain areas. Impacts to the floodplain would be minimized by the avoidance (to the extent practicable) of adjacent floodplain areas. No long-term adverse impacts are anticipated to the 100-year floodplain of the Missouri River. No permanent structures would be constructed as part of the proposed action and the proposed excavation would not adversely impact floodplain storage capacity. DOE will allow 15 days of public review after publication of the statement [[Page 2143]] of findings prior to implementing the proposed action. Issued in Oak Ridge, Tennessee on January 5, 2000. James L. Elmore, Alternative Oak Ridge Operations, National Environmental Policy Act, Compliance Officer. [FR Doc. 00-853 Filed 1-12-00; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P