[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3054-3055]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1258]


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NUCLEAR WASTE TECHNICAL REVIEW BOARD


Notice of Meeting

Board Meeting: February 24 and 25, 2003--Las Vegas, Nevada: panels of 
the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board will meet to review (1) 
seismic issues and (2) waste management system operations associated 
with a Yucca Mountain repository.

    Pursuant to its authority under section 5051 of Public Law 100-203, 
Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987, on Monday, February 24, 
2003, and Tuesday, February 25, 2003, panels of the Nuclear Waste 
Technical Review Board will meet in Las Vegas, Nevada, to review 
matters associated with a potential Yucca Mountain repository. The 
meetings are open to the public, and opportunities for public comment 
will be provided. The Board is charged by Congress with reviewing the 
technical and scientific validity of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) 
activities related to managing spent nuclear fuel and high-level 
radioactive waste.
    The Board panel meetings will be held at the Best Western Tuscany 
Suites and Casino, 255 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89109. The 
telephone number is (702) 947-5918; the fax number is (702) 732-2564. 
The meeting will start at 8 a.m. each day.
    On February 24, the Board's Panel on the Repository and Panel on 
Site Characterization will meet jointly to discuss seismic issues. 
Following he call to order and introductory statements, the panel will 
review how probabilistic earthquake ground motions were developed by 
the DOE. Project ground motions developed for the Yucca Mountain 
Project (YMP) will be discussed. The DOE will outline the YMP approach 
to both preclosure design and postclosure performance analyses for 
seismic events. The evaluation will include very low probability site-
specific seismic ground motions, plans and/or conclusions, and the 
significance of geological observations on limiting ground motions. The 
presentations will include consideration of a general approach to 
postclosure seismic events on the response of waste package, drip 
shield, and the in-drift configuration as incorporated into performance 
and drift stability analyses. Following the technical presentations, a 
round-table will specifically address: Are ground motions realistic 
and/or appropriate in light of their intended use? If not, what might 
be an alternate approach? are the approaches to seismic preclosure and 
postclosure issues appropriate? If not, what might be some alternate 
approaches? Representatives of the State of Nevada will also 
participate in the meeting.
    On February 25, the Board's Waste Management System Panel will meet 
to review the DOE's plans for operating the waste management system 
associated with a Yucca Mountain repository. Following the call to 
order and introductory statements, the panel will review the DOE's 
plans for waste acceptable at nuclear power plants and other points of 
origin. The DOE will then discuss its efforts to develop a 
transportation plan for transporting spent fuel and high-level 
radioactive waste to a Yucca Mountain repository. A presentation on 
industry experience in transporting highly radioactive materials will 
be followed by

[[Page 3055]]

presentation giving the view of state and local governments potentially 
affected by transportation to the repository. The meeting will conclude 
with DOE presentations of its plans for designing and operating the 
surface facilities and the underground emplacement areas of a Yucca 
Mountain repository.
    At the conclusion of each meeting, a public comment period has been 
scheduled. Those wanting to speak during the public comment periods are 
encouraged to sign the ``Public Comment Register'' at the check-in 
table. A time limit may have to be set on individual remarks, but 
written comments of any length may be submitted for the record.
    A detailed agenda will be available approximately one week before 
each meeting. Copies of the agendas can be requested by telephone or 
obtained from the Board's Web site at www.nwtrb.gov. Beginning about 
March 31, 2003, transcripts of the meetings will be available on the 
Board's Web site, via e-mail, on computer disk, and on a library-loan 
basis in paper format from Davonya Barnes of the Board staff.
    A block of rooms has been reserved at the Best Western Tuscany 
Hotel. Reservations must be made by February 3, 2003, to obtain the 
meeting rate. When making a reservation, please state that you are 
attending the Nuclear Waste Technical Review meeting. For more 
information, contact the NWTRB; Karyn Severson, External Affairs; 2300 
Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 1300; Arlington, VA 22201-3367; telephone 
703-235-4473; fax 703-235-4495; or by ``contact form'' at http://www.nwtrb.gov.
    The Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board was created by Congress in 
the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987. The Board's purpose is 
to evaluate the technical and scientific validity of activities 
undertaken by the Secretary of Energy related to disposal of the 
nation's spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. In the 
same legislation, Congress directed the DOE to characterize a site at 
Yucca Mountain, Nevada, to determine its suitability as the location of 
a potential repository for permanently disposing of spent nuclear fuel 
and high-level radioactive waste.

    Dated: January 15, 2003.
William D. Barnard,
Executive Director, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board.
[FR Doc. 03-1258 Filed 1-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-AM-M