[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 37 (Thursday, February 24, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 9257]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-4345]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Idaho High-Level Waste and Facilities Disposition Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Extension of Comment Period and Additional Public Hearing.

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SUMMARY: In response to the public's request, the Department of Energy 
(DOE) announces the extension of the public comment period for the 
Idaho High-Level Waste and Facilities Disposition Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) to April 19, 2000, an additional 30 days. This 
will result in a comment period totaling 90 days. DOE also announces 
that an additional public hearing has been added in Fort Hall, Idaho. 
This new hearing has been publicized in the local media.

DATES: The public is invited to submit written and oral comments at the 
public hearings shown below. The hearing in Fort Hall, Idaho will be 
held at the Fort Hall Tribal Business Center on March 2, 2000, at 6:00 
p.m. The location of the Boise, Idaho, meeting has been changed to the 
Doubletree Riverside, 2900 Chinden Blvd., Boise, Idaho 83714. Meetings 
will include overview presentations, a question and answer session, and 
an oral comment session. To schedule a time to submit oral comments 
during the hearings, please call 1-888-918-5100. Persons wishing to 
provide oral comments who have not registered in advance may register 
at the hearings.

                                           Schedule of Public Hearings
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                Cities                        Dates                  Meeting times             Meeting locations
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Idaho Falls, ID......................  Monday, February    7 p.m............................  Shilo Inn.
                                        7, 2000.
Pocatello, ID........................  Tuesday, February   6 p.m............................  Idaho State
                                        8, 2000.                                               University.
Jackson, WY..........................  Wednesday,          6 p.m............................  Snow King Lodge.
                                        February 9, 2000.
Twin Falls, ID.......................  Tuesday, February   6 p.m............................  College of
                                        15, 2000.                                              Southern Idaho,
                                                                                               Taylor Bldg.
Boise, ID............................  Thursday, February  6 p.m............................  Doubletree
                                        17, 2000.                                              Riverside.
Portland, OR.........................  Tuesday, February   6 p.m............................  Doubletree Lloyd
                                        22, 2000.                                              Center.
Pasco, WA............................  Thursday, February  6 p.m............................  Doubletree Pasco.
                                        24, 2000.
Fort Hall, ID........................  Thursday, March 2,  6 p.m............................  Tribal Business
                                        2000.                                                  Center.
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* There will be a 1-hour open house prior to the start of each meeting.


ADDRESSES: Other options for submitting comments on the Draft EIS are 
as follows:
     Comments may be mailed to: Thomas L. Wichmann, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office, 850 Energy Drive, MS 
1108, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401-1563, Attn: EIS Public Comment.
     Comments may be transmitted by facsimile to: 1-208-526-
1184.
     Comments may be submitted over the Internet at: http://www.jason.com/hlwfdeis.
    DOE will consider all comments transmitted or postmarked by April 
19, 2000. Comments submitted after this date will be considered to the 
extent practicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas L. Wichmann, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Idaho Operations Office, at (208) 526-0535; or Ann Dold, State 
of Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, at (208) 528-2600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On January 21, 2000, the DOE published a Notice of Availability (65 
FR 3432) of its Idaho High-level Waste and Facilities Disposition Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement and announced a 60-day public comment 
period ending March 20, 2000. Copies of the Draft EIS have been 
provided to Federal, state, tribal, and local government agencies and 
other interested parties. The Draft EIS is available on the Internet 
via the DOE National Environmental Policy Act website at http://tis.eh.doe.gov/nepa/docs/docs.htm. In addition, the Draft EIS is 
available at 20 public reading rooms across the country and may be 
requested by calling 1-888-918-5100.
    References used in the preparation of the Draft EIS are available 
for review at the EIS Project Office at DOE Idaho, 785 DOE Place, Idaho 
Falls, Idaho.
    DOE is extending the public comment period for the Draft EIS to 
April 19, 2000, an additional 30 days. This will result in a comment 
period totaling 90 days. At the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe's request, DOE 
also is adding a public hearing at Fort Hall, Idaho on March 2, 2000, 
which has been publicized in the local media.

Mark W. Frei,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Project Completion, Environmental 
Management.
[FR Doc. 00-4345 Filed 2-23-00; 8:45 am]
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