[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 146 (Friday, July 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46443-46446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19092]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Availability of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement (PEIS) for Accomplishing Expanded Civilian Nuclear Energy 
Research and Development and Isotope Production Missions in the United 
States, Including the Role of the Fast Flux Test Facility

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of 
the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Accomplishing 
Expanded Civilian Nuclear Energy Research and Development and Isotope 
Production Missions in the United States, Including the Role of the 
Fast Flux Test Facility [Nuclear Infrastructure Programmatic 
Environmental Impact Statement (NI PEIS)] (DOE/EIS-0310D) for public 
review and comment. This draft PEIS, prepared under the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), analyzes the potential environmental 
impacts of using various irradiation and processing facilities to meet 
the following projected mission needs over a period of 35 years: (1) 
Production of medical, research, and industrial isotopes; (2) 
production of plutonium-238 to support future National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration (NASA) space missions; and (3) support for U.S. 
civilian nuclear research and development activities. In addition to a 
No Action alternative, DOE evaluated other alternatives that include 
using existing facilities within the DOE complex, constructing and 
operating a new research reactor, constructing and operating one or two 
new accelerators, restarting the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) that is 
currently in stand-by status, and procuring irradiation services at a 
commercial light water reactor to produce plutonium-238. As a result of 
comments received from the public during the scoping period, DOE 
evaluated a fifth alternative to deactivate FFTF permanently without 
pursuing any further expansion of the infrastructure to accommodate 
expanded mission areas. As part of the No Action alternative, DOE has 
also evaluated the option of purchasing plutonium-238 from Russia 
through an existing contract. The Department has no preferred 
alternative at this time, but will identify one in the Final PEIS.

DATES: The Department invites the general public, other Federal 
agencies, and Tribal, State and local Governments to provide comments 
on this draft PEIS.

[[Page 46444]]

The transmittal letter for the draft PEIS and the Summary stated that 
the comment period would end on September 11, 2000. The comment period 
has changed and now ends September 18, 2000. To ensure consideration in 
the preparation of the final PEIS, comments should be transmitted or 
postmarked by September 18, 2000. Comments submitted after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable. The information obtained 
during the comment period will assist the Department in preparing the 
final PEIS, which is scheduled to be completed by November 2000.
    During the comment period, the Department will hold public hearings 
to discuss the draft PEIS and to receive oral and written comments on 
the draft PEIS. Registration will begin at 6:00 p.m. before each 
meeting (2:00 p.m. in Virginia) and a brief DOE presentation on the 
draft PEIS will begin at 6:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m. in Virginia). The 
hearings will include an opportunity for informal discussions with 
project personnel before and after the DOE presentation. The hearings 
are scheduled for the following dates, times, and locations:

Tuesday, August 22, 2000
    American Museum of Science and Energy, 300 South Tulane Avenue, Oak 
Ridge, TN 37830, (865) 576-3200
Friday, August 25, 2000
    Westcoast Idaho Falls Hotel (formerly Cavanaughs on the Falls), 475 
River Parkway, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, (208) 523-8000
Monday, August 28, 2000
    Hood River Inn, 1108 E. Marina Way, Hood River, OR 97031, (541) 
386-2200
Tuesday, August 29, 2000
    Oregon Museum of Science and Technology, 1945 SE Water Avenue, 
Portland, OR 97214, (503) 797-4671
Wednesday, August 30, 2000
    Washington State Convention and Trade Center, 800 Convention Place, 
Seattle, WA 98101, (206) 694-5111
Thursday, August 31, 2000
    Best Western Tower Inn and Conference Center, 1515 George 
Washington Way, Richland, WA 99352, (509) 946-4121
Wednesday, September 6, 2000
    Crystal Gateway Marriott, 1700 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, 
VA 22202, (703) 271-5108

    The format for the hearings will include registration, a DOE 
presentation on the draft PEIS, a question and answer session, and an 
opportunity to provide comments to DOE staff members. The purpose of 
registration is to provide handouts to each participant, update the 
project mailing list, and answer any questions participants may have 
about the hearings. Registration is not required and there will be no 
sign-up sheets for the order of speakers. A DOE staff member will give 
a presentation, about 20 minutes long, followed by a short question and 
answer period about the presentation. A facilitator will then open the 
floor to the public for comments. To ensure that all persons wishing to 
provide comments are given an opportunity, each speaker may be limited 
to five minutes, including representatives of groups. Elected officials 
will be given first priority for speaking and each official may be 
limited to ten minutes. Then the facilitator will select participants 
at random from the audience to provide their comments. Those commentors 
who need more time will be invited to speak after everyone has had an 
initial opportunity to provide their comments. Comments will be 
transcribed by a comment recorder. Another comment recorder will be 
available in a separate room to receive comments from participants who 
may not be able to attend the entire session, or who would like to give 
their comments and depart. DOE personnel will be available throughout 
the hearings and will stay until all participants have had a chance to 
comment. The Department encourages those providing oral comments at the 
hearings to also submit them in writing. Comment forms will be 
available at the hearings.
    The Department will make transcripts of the draft PEIS hearings 
available to the public at the following public reading rooms about one 
month after the public hearings have been held. References for the 
draft PEIS are available in the public reading rooms listed below.

U.S. Department of Energy, Freedom of Information Reading Room, 
Forrestal Building, Room 1E-190, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20585-0117, Telephone: (202) 586-3142
Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, DOE-Idaho 
Operations Office Public Reading Room, 1776 Science Center Drive, Idaho 
Falls, Idaho 83415, Telephone: (208) 526-0271
Portland State University, Branford Price Millar Library, Government 
Documents Section, 951 Southwest Hall, Portland, Oregon 97207, (503) 
725-3690
U.S. Department of Energy, Public Reading Room, 230 Warehouse Road, 
Building 1916-T-2, Suite 300, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, (865) 241-
4780
Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Drive, Richland, Washington, 
99352, Telephone: (509) 942-7457
U.S. Department of Energy, DOE Public Reading Room, 2770 University 
Drive, CIC, Room 101L, Richland, Washington 99352, Telephone: (509) 
372-7443
University of Washington, Suzzallo Library, Government Publications 
Room, Seattle, Washington 98195, Telephone: (206) 543-1937
Gonzaga University, Foley Center Library, East 502 Boone, Spokane, 
Washington 99258, Telephone: (509) 323-6532

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the draft PEIS, requests for special 
arrangements to enable participation in the hearings (e.g., an 
interpreter for the hearing impaired), requests to be placed on the 
final PEIS distribution list, and questions concerning the proposed 
action should be sent to: Ms. Colette Brown, PEIS Document Manager, 
Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology, U.S. Department of 
Energy, NE-50, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, Maryland 20874-1290.
    Comments, questions and special requests may also be submitted by 
toll-free facsimile to (877) 562-4592, or by electronic mail to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about the 
proposed action, contact Ms. Colette E. Brown as above under ADDRESSES, 
or call her toll-free at (877) 562-4592. For general information on the 
Department's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, please 
contact: Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and 
Compliance (EH-42), Office of Environment, Safety and Health, U.S. 
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20585-0119; or telephone (202) 586-4600 or leave a message at (800) 
472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of the Atomic Energy Act 
of 1954, as amended, DOE is responsible for ensuring the availability 
of isotopes for medical, industrial and research applications, meeting 
the nuclear material needs of other Federal agencies, and undertaking 
research and development activities related to development of nuclear 
power for civilian use. To meet these responsibilities, DOE maintains 
nuclear infrastructure capabilities that support various missions in 
these areas. These

[[Page 46445]]

infrastructure capabilities include those of nuclear research and test 
facilities, such as reactors and accelerators, as well as shielded 
``hot cell'' and glovebox facilities used to prepare nuclear materials 
for testing and/or to perform postirradiation processing of materials.
    To continue to maintain sufficient irradiation facilities to meet 
its obligations under the Atomic Energy Act, DOE must assess the need 
for expanding its nuclear infrastructure in light of its commitments to 
ongoing programs, its commitment to other agencies for nuclear 
materials support, and its role in supporting civilian nuclear research 
and development programs.
    The Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee (NERAC), established 
in 1998 by DOE to provide independent, expert advice on complex science 
and technical issues that arise in the planning, management, and 
implementation of DOE's civilian nuclear energy research programs, 
informed the Secretary of Energy that ``(a) there is an urgent sense 
that the Nation must rapidly restore an adequate investment in basic 
and applied research in nuclear energy if it is to sustain a viable 
United States capability in the 21st Century, (b) the most important 
role for DOE in the nuclear energy area at the present time is to 
ensure that the education system and its facility infrastructure are in 
good shape, and (c) of particular need over the longer term are 
dependable sources of research isotopes and reactor facilities 
providing high volume flux irradiation for nuclear fuels and materials 
testing'' (letter dated June 13, 2000, from J.J.Duderstadt, Chair, 
Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee to The Honorable W. 
Richardson, Secretary of Energy).
    Under the guidance of NERAC, DOE has completed an assessment of its 
existing nuclear facility infrastructure capabilities (U.S. Department 
of Energy Nuclear Science and Technology Infrastructure Roadmap, Draft, 
Revision 1 Summary, March 2000). The basic finding of this assessment 
was that the capabilities of currently operating DOE facilities will 
not meet projected U.S. needs for nuclear materials production and 
testing, research, and development. As demand continues to increase for 
steady-state neutron sources needed for isotope production and nuclear 
research and development, DOE's nuclear infrastructure capabilities to 
support this demand have not improved. Over the years, DOE's nuclear 
facility infrastructure has diminished because of the shutdown of old 
facilities, including the High Flux Beam Reactor at Brookhaven National 
Laboratory, New York, and the Cyclotron Facility at Oak Ridge National 
Laboratory, Tennessee. This has hampered DOE's ability to satisfy 
increasing demands in various mission areas. The Department's 
facilities at the Savannah River Site, previously used for plutonium-
238 production for the space program, are also no longer available.
    Consistent with these findings, DOE recognizes that adequate 
nuclear research reactor, accelerator, and associated support 
facilities must be made available in order to implement and maintain a 
successful nuclear energy program. To continue meeting its 
responsibilities under the Atomic Energy Act and to satisfy projected 
increases in the future demand for isotope products and irradiation 
services, DOE proposes to enhance its existing nuclear facility 
infrastructure to: (1) Produce isotopes for medical, research, and 
industrial uses, (2) produce plutonium-238 for use in advanced 
radioisotope power systems for future NASA space exploration missions, 
and (3) support the Nation's nuclear research and development needs for 
civilian applications.
    The NI PEIS evaluates a No Action Alternative and five action 
alternatives. The action alternatives focus on the use of irradiation 
facilities that are currently operating, those that could be brought 
online, or those that could be constructed and operated to meet DOE's 
nuclear facility infrastructure requirements.
    No Action Alternative (maintain status quo): Ongoing operations at 
existing facilities would continue. DOE would not establish a domestic 
plutonium-238 production capability, but could, instead, purchase 
Russian plutonium-238 to meet the needs of future U.S. space missions. 
However, the existing contract, which expires in 2002, would have to be 
renegotiated or a new contract would have to be established. FFTF at 
Hanford would be maintained in standby status.
    Alternative 1--Restart FFTF: FFTF at Hanford would be restarted to 
irradiate targets for medical and industrial isotope production, 
plutonium-238 production, and nuclear research and development 
irradiation requirements for a period of 35 years. Ongoing operations 
at other existing facilities would continue.
    Alternative 2--Use Only Existing Operational Facilities: DOE would 
use existing operating DOE reactors or U.S. commercial light water 
reactors to produce plutonium-238 for future space missions. The 
production of medical and industrial isotopes and support of nuclear 
research and development in DOE reactors and accelerators would 
continue at the No Action Alternative levels. Other ongoing operations 
at existing facilities would continue. FFTF at Hanford would be 
permanently deactivated.
    Alternative 3--Construct New Accelerator(s): One or two new 
accelerators would be constructed for target irradiation and operated 
for a period of 35 years. The new accelerator(s) would be constructed 
at an existing DOE site and would be used to irradiate all of the 
targets for production of plutonium-238, isotopes for medical and 
industrial uses, and materials testing for research and development. 
Other ongoing operations at existing facilities would continue. FFTF at 
Hanford would be permanently deactivated.
    Alternative 4--Construct New Research Reactor: A new research 
reactor would be constructed for target irradiation and operated for a 
period of 35 years. The new research reactor would be constructed at an 
existing DOE site, and would be used to irradiate all targets for 
production of plutonium-238, isotopes for medical and industrial uses, 
and materials testing for research and development. Other ongoing 
operations at existing facilities would continue. FFTF at Hanford would 
be permanently deactivated.
    Alternative 5--Permanently Deactivate FFTF (with no new missions): 
FFTF at Hanford would be permanently deactivated and no enhancements to 
DOE's nuclear facilities infrastructure would be made. Plutonium-238 
would not be produced or purchased. Ongoing operations, such as medical 
and industrial isotope production and nuclear research and development 
missions, at existing facilities would continue.
    The environmental impact analysis addresses the full range of 
natural and human resource areas pertinent to the sites considered for 
the nuclear infrastructure alternatives. Impacts are assessed for human 
health, land resources, noise, air quality, water resources, geology 
and soils, ecological resources, cultural and paleontological 
resources, socioeconomics, and waste management. A region of influence 
for each resource area is identified and analyzed for each candidate 
site.
    Baseline conditions at the three DOE sites assessed in the NI PEIS, 
the Oak Ridge Reservation, Idaho National Engineering and Environmental 
Laboratory, and Hanford, as well as an existing generic commercial 
light water reactor, include present and reasonably foreseeable future 
actions at each site.

[[Page 46446]]

Sitewide data set forth in the No Action Alternative define the 
baseline conditions used in the analysis of action alternatives for 
each site and are the data upon which incremental impacts for action 
alternatives were imposed to determine overall impacts.
    The Department does not have a preferred alternative at this time, 
but a preferred alternative will be identified in the final PEIS. The 
environmental analysis in the PEIS, public comments, the findings of a 
separate cost study and a nonproliferation report that are being 
prepared concurrently with the PEIS, as well as other program and 
policy factors, will be considered in making a decision. The Record of 
Decision to be published in the Federal Register will be issued no 
sooner than 30 days after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 
notice of availability of the final PEIS has been published in the 
Federal Register.

    Issued in Washington, D.C., this 24th day of July 2000.
R. Shane Johnson,
Acting Associate Director for Technology and International Cooperation, 
Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 00-19092 Filed 7-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P