[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 146 (Tuesday, July 30, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49323-49324]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-19220]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for Future Location of the 
Heat Source/Radioisotope Power System Assembly and Test Operations 
Currently Located at the Mound Site--Issued for public comments

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Solicitation of public comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Department has prepared a draft 
EA for the future location of the Heat Source/Radioisotope Power 
Systems (HS/RPS) assembly and test operations program currently located 
at the Mound site in Miamisburg, Ohio. After the events of September 
11, 2001, a department-wide review of security identified the need for 
enhanced security measures at Mound to protect the materials associated 
with the program and the surrounding community. The Department analyzed 
a range of options including, upgrading the existing infrastructure at 
Mound site to enable the program to remain in that location as well as 
transferring the operations to more secure locations at the Pantex Site 
in Texas or the Argonne National Laboratory-West site in Idaho. The 
Department's highest priority is ensuring the health and safety of the 
workers at its sites and the communities surrounding them. With this 
responsibility at the forefront, the Department held four public 
meetings to discuss the future of this program. Information received 
from this public scoping process and preliminary assessments of the 
costs and schedules associated with the various alternatives, led to 
identification of DOE's Argonne National Laboratory-West site as the 
preferred site for the future location of the HS/RPS program. The 
Department is soliciting comments on the draft EA from the affected 
Federal, state, and local agencies and Tribal governments, and 
interested public.

DATES: Comments on the draft EA are due on August 20, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the EA are available from Mr. Timothy A. Frazier 
and comments should be transmitted to him in any of the following ways: 
U.S. mail to: Mr. Timothy A. Frazier, U.S. Department of Energy, PO Box 
66, Miamisburg, OH 45343-0066 [Phone: (937) 865-3748]; Facsimile: (937) 
865-4489; electronic mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department issued a Federal Register 
notice on May 31, 2002, announcing the public scoping meetings for the 
subject EA. Public scoping meetings were held in Washington, DC 
metropolitan area, Miamisburg, Ohio, Amarillo, Texas, and Idaho Falls, 
Idaho. Comments received on the scope of the EA were considered in 
preparation of the draft of the EA which is now being made available to 
the public and affected government agencies and Tribes. For 
consideration in preparation of the final EA, comments should be 
transmitted to Mr. Timothy A. Frazier, as specified above,

[[Page 49324]]

no later than August 20, 2002. Comments received after that date will 
be considered to the extent practicable. The Department has now 
identified the Argonne National Laboratory-West site as the preferred 
site for the future location of the HS/RPS program. On the basis of the 
significance of environmental impacts evaluated in the EA, the 
Department will issue a Finding of No Significant Impact or proceed 
with the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement.

    Issued in Washington, DC, July 23, 2002.
William D. Magwood, IV,
Director, Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 02-19220 Filed 7-29-02; 8:45 am]
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