[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 87 (Friday, May 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22540-22543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11275]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a 
Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-
Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of availability and opportunity for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of a 
Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a Geologic 
Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level 
Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada (Draft EIS) 
(DOE/EIS-0250D-S). The Department has prepared this Supplement in 
accordance with the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended 
(NWPA), the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended 
(NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality regulations that implement 
the procedural provisions of NEPA, and the DOE procedures implementing 
NEPA. The Council on Environmental Quality NEPA regulations state that 
an agency may prepare a supplement when it determines that the purposes 
of NEPA will be furthered by doing so. As anticipated, design 
enhancements of the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain have evolved 
since DOE issued the Draft EIS in August 1999. Accordingly, DOE has 
issued a Supplement to the Draft EIS to address the most recent 
information on design evolution,

[[Page 22541]]

including enhancements in design details and operating modes, and 
associated potential environmental impacts. DOE will provide the public 
an opportunity to comment on the Supplement and conduct hearings on the 
Supplement, as described below.

DATES: Comments on the Supplement to the Draft EIS will be accepted 
during a 45-day public comment period, which ends on June 25, 2001. DOE 
will consider comments submitted after June 25, 2001, to the extent 
practicable.

ADDRESSES: DOE will conduct public hearings on the Supplement in 
Amargosa Valley, Las Vegas, and Pahrump, Nevada. Public hearing 
locations and further details are provided below in this Notice under 
``Public Hearings and Invitation to Comment.''
    Written comments and requests for further information on the 
Supplement to the Draft EIS or the public hearings, and requests for 
copies of the document and included CD-ROM should be directed to: Dr. 
Jane Summerson, EIS Document Manager, M/S 010, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, Yucca Mountain 
Site Characterization Office, P.O. Box 30307, North Las Vegas, Nevada 
89036-0307, Telephone 1-800-967-3477, Facsimile 1-800-967-0739.
    Written comments via facsimiles should include the following 
identifier: ``Yucca Mountain Supplement to the Draft EIS.'' Addresses 
and locations where the Supplement will be available for public review 
are listed in this Notice under ``Availability of the Supplement to the 
Draft EIS.''

Electronic Format: Internet

    Written comments on or requests for copies of the document may also 
be submitted over the Internet via the Yucca Mountain Project website 
at http://www.ymp.gov, under the listing ``Environmental Impact 
Statement.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Jane Summerson, EIS Document 
Manager, M/S 010, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Civilian 
Radioactive Waste Management, Yucca Mountain Site Characterization 
Office, P.O. Box 30307, North Las Vegas, Nevada 89036-0307, Telephone 
1-800-967-3477, Facsimile 1-800-967-0739.
    For general information on the DOE NEPA process, contact: Ms. Carol 
M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (EH-42), 
U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 
20585, Telephone 1-202-586-4600, or leave a message at 1-800-472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In August 1999, DOE issued the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement for a Geologic Repository for the 
Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at 
Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada (Draft EIS), in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 
et seq.), and the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 10101 
et seq.). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a 
Notice of Availability (64 FR 44217) of the Draft EIS on August 13, 
1999, initiating a public comment period that ended on February 28, 
2000. During the 199-day comment period, DOE held 21 public hearings 
across the United States. The Draft EIS describes the Proposed Action 
to construct, operate and monitor, and eventually close a geologic 
repository for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level 
radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain. The Draft EIS also describes the 
potential environmental impacts associated with the Proposed Action.
    For the Draft EIS, DOE based the analysis on the repository design 
described in the Viability Assessment of a Repository at Yucca 
Mountain. The Draft EIS discussed ongoing evaluations that could result 
in modifications to that design.
    As DOE anticipated in the Draft EIS, repository design has 
continued to evolve. Although the fundamental aspects of the repository 
design have not changed from those discussed in the Draft EIS, design 
options and operating modes (ways in which to operate the repository) 
are being explored to reduce uncertainties and improve long-term 
repository performance and operational safety and efficiency. DOE has 
documented the evolution to date of its design efforts in the Yucca 
Mountain Science and Engineering Report: Technical Information 
Supporting Site Recommendation Consideration (YMS&ER), which describes 
the current design (which the Supplement calls the S&ER flexible 
design) and a range of possible repository operating modes. The YMS&ER 
also summarizes current technical information that the Secretary of 
Energy will use to determine whether to recommend approval of the Yucca 
Mountain site to the President for development as a repository.
    Evaluations are underway to analyze the effect of various operating 
modes on repository performance. The flexible design discussed in the 
YMS&ER includes the ability to operate the repository in a range of 
operating modes that address higher and lower temperatures and 
associated humidity conditions. The higher-temperature operating mode 
means that at least a portion of the emplacement drift rock wall would 
have a maximum temperature above the boiling point of water at the 
elevation of the repository [96 deg.C (205 deg.F)]. Examples of the 
lower-temperature operating modes include conditions under which the 
drift rock wall temperatures would be below the boiling point of water, 
and conditions under which the waste package surface temperature would 
not exceed 85 deg.C (185 deg.F). To bound the impact analysis, DOE 
considered conditions under which the rock wall temperatures would be 
above the boiling point of water, and conditions under which waste 
package surface temperatures would not exceed 85 deg.C.
    DOE prepared the Supplement to update information presented in the 
Draft EIS. The Supplement evaluates potential environmental impacts 
that could occur, based on the design options and range of possible 
operating modes presented in the YMS&ER. The Supplement compares the 
impacts associated with the S&ER flexible design to the impacts 
presented in the Draft EIS.
    The basis for the analytical scenarios presented in the Draft EIS 
was the amount of commercial spent nuclear fuel and its associated 
thermal output or load that DOE would emplace per unit area of the 
repository (called areal mass loading). In the Draft EIS, DOE evaluated 
three thermal load scenarios including high thermal load, a relatively 
high emplacement density of commercial spent nuclear fuel (85 metric 
tons of heavy metal (MTHM) per acre), intermediate thermal load (60 
MTHM per acre), and low thermal load (25 MTHM per acre). The analytical 
scenarios described in the Draft EIS were not intended to place a limit 
on the choices among alternative designs because DOE expected that the 
repository design would continue to evolve. Rather, DOE selected these 
scenarios to represent the range of foreseeable design features and 
operating modes and to ensure that it considered the associated range 
of potential environmental impacts.
    In contrast to focusing on thermal loads, the S&ER flexible design 
focuses on controlling the temperatures of the rock between the drifts, 
the waste package surfaces, and the drift walls to meet thermal 
management goals established for possible repository operating modes. 
To meet these thermal goals, the S&ER flexible design uses a linear 
thermal load (heat output per unit length of the emplacement drift) and 
emplaces waste packages relatively

[[Page 22542]]

closer together than the Draft EIS design. Linear thermal load is 
expressed in terms of kilowatts per meter.
    As with the thermal load analytical scenarios analyzed in the Draft 
EIS, the range of operating modes under the S&ER flexible design is 
representative of the range of foreseeable future design features and 
operating modes. The conservative estimates of the associated potential 
environmental impacts in the Supplement encompass or bound the 
potential impacts of foreseeable future repository design evolution.
    The Supplement focuses on modifications to the repository design 
and operating modes addressed in the Draft EIS; it does not analyze 
aspects of the Proposed Action that have not been modified, such as the 
transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, 
or the No-Action Alternative. DOE will address all aspects of the 
Proposed Action and the No-Action Alternative in the Final EIS. Because 
repository design has evolved from that considered in the Draft EIS, 
the Final EIS will evaluate only the S&ER flexible design, including 
the reasonable range of operating modes, and any enhancements to the 
flexible design developed as the result of ongoing analyses. DOE 
invites comments on its intention not to address the Draft EIS design 
in the Final EIS. DOE will respond to comments on the Draft EIS and on 
the Supplement in the Final EIS.

Public Hearings and Invitation to Comment

    The public is invited to provide oral and written comments on the 
Supplement to the Draft EIS during the public comment period that ends 
on June 25, 2001. DOE will consider comments submitted during the 
comment period in preparation of the Final EIS. Comments submitted 
after June 25, 2001 will be considered to the extent practicable. DOE 
will hold public hearings to receive oral and written comments from 
members of the public at the following times and locations:

May 31, 2001: Longstreet Inn & Casino, Highway 373, Amargosa Valley, 
Nevada 89020; 5:00 pm-9:00 pm--Poster Session, 6:00 pm-9:00 pm--Hearing
June 5, 2001: Suncoast Hotel & Casino, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas, 
Nevada 89144; 5:00 pm-9:00 pm--Poster Session, 6:00 pm-9:00 pm--Hearing
June 7, 2001: Bob Ruud Community Center, 150 North Highway #160, 
Pahrump, Nevada 89048; 5:00 pm-9:00 pm--Poster Session, 6:00 pm-9:00 
pm--Hearing

    This information will be available on the Yucca Mountain website at 
(http://www.ymp.gov) and on the toll-free information line at 1-800-
967-3477.
    Each of the public hearings will include a brief session in which 
an overview of the Supplement will be presented, a general question-
and-answer session, and an opportunity to provide comments for the 
record. Members of the public who plan to present oral comments are 
asked to register in advance by calling 1-800-967-3477.

Availability of the Supplement to the Draft EIS

    Copies of the Supplement are being distributed to Federal, State, 
and Indian tribal representatives, and other organizations and 
individuals who have indicated an interest in the EIS process. Copies 
of this document may be requested by calling 1-800-967-3477 or over the 
Internet via the Yucca Mountain Project website (http://www.ymp.gov). 
Both the Supplement and the Draft EIS will be available via the 
Internet on the DOE NEPA website at (http://tis.eh.doe.gov/nepa), under 
the listing DOE NEPA Analyses, or on the Yucca Mountain Project web 
site listed above. The availability of the Yucca Mountain Science and 
Engineering Report will be announced in a separate Federal Register 
Notice. That report will be available or can be requested on the Yucca 
Mountain Project website (http://www.ymp.gov) or by calling 1-800-967-
3477.
    Copies of references considered in preparation of the Supplement 
and Draft EIS, including the Yucca Mountain Science and Engineering 
Report, will be available at the following Public Reading Rooms: 
University of Nevada--Las Vegas, Nevada; University of Nevada--Reno, 
Nevada; Beatty Yucca Mountain Science Center, Nevada; Pahrump Yucca 
Mountain Science Center, Nevada; and the DOE Headquarters Office in 
Washington, D.C. Addresses of these Public Reading Rooms and of other 
Public Reading Rooms and libraries where the Supplement and the Draft 
EIS will be available for public review are listed below.

Public Reading Rooms

    Inyo County--Contact: Andrew Remus; (760) 878-0447; Inyo County 
Yucca Mountain Repository Assessment Office; 168 North Edwards St.; 
Post Office Drawer L; Independence, CA 93526.
    Oakland Operations Office--Contact: Laura Martinez; (510) 637-1762; 
U.S. Department of Energy Public Reading Room; EIC; 1301 Clay St., Room 
700N; Oakland, CA 94612-5208.
    National Renewable Energy Laboratory--Contact: John Horst; (303) 
275-4709; Public Reading Room; 1617 Cole Blvd.; Golden, CO 80401.
    Rocky Flats Public Reading Room--Contact: Gary Morrell; (303) 469-
4435; College Hill Library; 3705 112th Ave. B121; Westminster, CO 
80030.
    Headquarters Office--Contact: Carolyn Lawson; (202) 586-3142; U.S. 
Department of Energy; Room 1E-190, Forrestal Building; 1000 
Independence Ave., SW; Washington, DC 20585.
    Atlanta Support Office--Contact: Nancy Mays/Laura Nicholas; (404) 
347-2420; Department of Energy; Public Reading Room; 730 Peachtree St., 
Suite 876; Atlanta, GA 30308-1212.
    Southeastern Power Administration--Contact: Joel W. Seymour; (706) 
213-3800; U.S. Department of Energy; Reading Room; Samuel Elbert 
Building; 2 South Public Square; Elberton, GA 30635-2496.
    Boise State University Library--Contact: Adrien Taylor; (208) 426-
1737; Government Documents; 1910 University Dr.; P.O. Box 46; Boise, ID 
83707-0046.
    Idaho Operations Office--Contact: Brent Jacobson; (208) 526-1144; 
Public Reading Room; 1776 Science Center Dr.; Idaho Falls, ID 83402.
    Chicago Operations Office--Contact: John Shuler; (312) 996-2738; 
Document Department; University of Illinois at Chicago; 801 South 
Morgan St.; Chicago, IL 60607.
    Strategic Petroleum Reserve Project Management Office--Contact: 
Deanna Harvey; (504) 734-4316; U.S. Department of Energy; SPRPMO/SEB 
Reading Room; 850 Commerce Road, East; New Orleans, LA 70123.
    Lander County--Contact: Mickey Yarbo; (775) 635-2882; 315 S. 
Humboldt St.; Battle Mountain, NV 89820.
    Beatty Yucca Mountain Science Center--Contact: Marina Anderson; 
(775) 553-2130; 100 North E Ave.; Beatty, NV 89003.
    Lincoln County--Contact: Jason Pitts; (775) 726-3511; Box 1068; 176 
Clover St.; Caliente, NV 89008.
    Nevada State Clearinghouse--Contact: Heather Elliot; (775) 684-
0209; Department of Administration; 209 E. Musser Street, Room 200; 
Carson City, NV 89701.
    White Pine County--Contact: Josie Larson; (775) 289-2033; 959 
Campton St.; Ely, NV 89301.
    Eureka County--Contact: Leonard Fiorenzi; (775) 237-5372; 701 S. 
Main St.; (P.O. Box 714); Eureka, NV 89316.
    Churchill County--Contact: Alan Kalt; (775) 423-5136; 155 North 
Taylor St., Suite 182; Fallon, NV 89046-2478.

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    Esmeralda County--Contact: George McCorkell; (775) 485-3419; 
Repository Oversight Program; 233 Crook St.; P.O. Box 295; Goldfield, 
NV 89316.
    Mineral County--Contact: Judy Shankle; (775) 945-2484; First & A 
Streets; (*Hand Deliverables Only*); (P.O. Box 1600); Hawthorne, NV 
89415.
    Clark County--Contact: Dennis Bechtel; (702) 455-5178; 500 South 
Grand Central Parkway #3012; (P.O. Box 551751); Las Vegas, NV 89155-
1751.
    Las Vegas, Nevada--Contact: Reference Desk; (702) 895-3409; 
University of Nevada Las Vegas; James R. Dickinson Library; Government 
Publications; 4505 Maryland Parkway; Las Vegas, NV 89154-7013.
    Las Vegas Yucca Mountain Science Center--Contact: Claire Whetsel; 
(702)295-1312; 4101-B Meadows Lane; Las Vegas, NV 89107.
    Nye County--Contact: Les Bradshaw; (775) 727-7727; c/o Department 
of Natural Resources and Federal Facilities; 1210 E. Basin Ave., Suite 
6; Pahrump, NV 89048.
    Pahrump Yucca Mountain Science Center--Contact: John Pawlak; (775) 
727-0896; 1141 South Highway 160; Pahrump NV, 89041.
    Reno, Nevada--Contact: Kathie Brinkerhoff; (775) 784-6500; 
University of Nevada, Reno; The University of Nevada Libraries; 
Business and Government Information Center M/S 322; 1664 N. Virginia 
St.; Reno, NV 89557-0044.
    Albuquerque Operations Office--Contact: Dan Berkley; (505) 277-
7180; U.S. DOE Contract Reading Room; University of New Mexico; 
Zimmerman Library; Albuquerque, NM 87131-1466.
    Fernald Area Office--Contact: Diane Rayer;(513)648-7480; U.S. 
Department of Energy; Public Information Room;10995 Hamilton-Cleves 
Highway M/S 78; Harrison, OH 45030.
    Southwestern Power Administration--Contact: Marti Ayres; (918) 595-
6609; U.S. Department of Energy; Public Reading Room; 1 West 3rd, Suite 
1600; Tulsa, OK 74103.
    Bonneville Power Administration--Contact: Bill Zimmerman/Darlene 
Freestad; (503) 230-7334; U.S. Department of Energy; BPA-C-ACS-1; 905 
NE 11th St.; Portland, OR 97232.
    Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center--Contact: Ann C. Dunlap; (412) 
386-6167; U.S. Department of Energy; Building 922/M210; Cochrans Mill 
Rd.; Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0940.
    Savannah River Operations Office--Contact: Pauline Connell; (803) 
725-2497; Gregg-Graniteville Library; University of South Carolina-
Aiken; 171 University Parkway; Aiken, SC 29801.
    University of South Carolina--Contact: William Suddeth; (803) 777-
4841; Thomas Cooper Library; Documents/Microforms Department; Green and 
Sumter Streets; Columbia, SC 29208.
    Oak Ridge Operations Office--Contact: Walter Perry; (865) 241-4780; 
U.S. Department of Energy; Public Reading Room; P.O. Box 2001; American 
Museum of Science and Energy; 230 Warehouse Rd.; Oak Ridge, TN 37831.
    Southern Methodist University--Contact: Stephen Short; (214) 768-
2561; Central Union Libraries Fondren Library; Government Information; 
Airline and McFarland Streets; Dallas, TX 75275-0135.
    University of Utah--Contact: Walter Jones; (801) 581-8863; Marriott 
Library Special Collections; 295 South 15th East; Salt Lake City, UT 
84112-0860.
    Richland Operations Center--Contact: Terri Traub; (509) 372-7443; 
U.S. Department of Energy; Public Reading Room; 2770 University Drive; 
Room 101L; PO Box 999; Mailstop H2-53; Richland, WA 99352.

    Issued in Washington, DC, April 27, 2001.
Lake Barrett,
Acting Director, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management.
[FR Doc. 01-11275 Filed 5-3-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P