[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 17, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7529-7530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-3298]


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NUCLEAR WASTE TECHNICAL REVIEW BOARD


Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board Meeting

    Panel Meeting: March 9-10, 2004--Las Vegas, Nevada: The U.S. 
Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board's Panel on the Natural System will 
meet to discuss how components of the natural

[[Page 7530]]

geologic system would work together to isolate radioactive waste in a 
Yucca Mountain repository.
    Pursuant to its authority under section 5051 of Pub. L. 100-203, 
Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987, members of the U.S. 
Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board's Panel on the Natural System will 
meet in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday, March 9, and Wednesday, March 
10, 2004. The panel will discuss issues related to a proposed 
repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada, particularly how components of 
the natural geologic system would work together to isolate radioactive 
waste. The meetings will be 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 activities 
undertaken by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as stipulated in the 
Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act.
    The panel meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel; 4255 
South Paradise Road; Las Vegas, NV 89109; (tel.) 702-369-4400; (fax) 
702-369-3770. The meetings are tentatively scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. 
each day. Meeting times will be confirmed when agendas are issued, 
approximately one week before the meeting dates.
    The purpose of the meeting is to examine aspects of the natural 
system that control transport of radionuclides from Yucca Mountain. 
Water flow will be the primary factor controlling that transport. The 
meeting is structured to consider the aspects of water flow and 
associated hydrogeologic phenomena that are important for estimating 
the amount of time required for the transport of radionuclides from the 
repository horizon to the regulatory boundary. The meeting is designed 
to gather information to help address the following questions.
     What is the median travel time of a molecule of 
water from the repository horizon at Yucca Mountain to the regulatory 
boundary?
     How much might travel time change for a 
radionuclide in that water, considering all factors relevant to 
radionuclide transport? Are all of the factors equally likely?
     Are the DOE's radionuclide transport estimates 
conservative, realistic, or optimistic?
     What is the technical basis for these estimates? 
What is the Board's assessment of the technical validity of the 
technical basis? What can be done to improve the technical basis of the 
DOE estimates?
     How much could the technical basis be improved 
by 2010 if the DOE pursues a rigorous scientific program?
    On Tuesday, the meeting will focus on features and processes 
relevant to water flow and radionuclide transport in the unsaturated 
zone. Presentations will be made on unsaturated flow, sorption, matrix 
diffusion, colloid-facilitated transport, and radionuclide transport 
abstractions for total system performance assessment (TSPA). Evidence 
in the rock strata for evaluating the influence of climate change in 
the repository also will be presented.
    On Wednesday, the features and processes relevant to water flow and 
radionuclide transport in the saturated zone will be discussed. 
Presentations will be made on the role of climate in the deposition of 
sediment that can slow radionuclide transport, the representation of 
climate in TSPA, ground-water flow of the Death Valley region and the 
Yucca Mountain site, sorption, matrix diffusion, colloid-facilitated 
transport, and radionuclide transport abstractions for TSPA.
    The agendas on both days will conclude with roundtable discussions 
of the topics presented. Time will be made available at the end of each 
day for public comments. Those wanting to speak 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.
    Detailed agendas will be available approximately one week before 
the meeting. Copies of the agendas can be requested by telephone or 
obtained from the Board's Web site at http://www.nwtrb.gov. Transcripts 
of the meetings will be available on the Board's web site, by e-mail, 
on computer disk, and on a library-loan basis in paper format from 
Davonya Barnes of the Board's staff, beginning on April 9, 2004.
    A block of rooms has been reserved at the Crowne Plaza hotel for 
meeting participants. When making a reservation, please state that you 
are attending the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board meeting. To 
receive the meeting rate, reservations should be made by February 20, 
2004.
    For more information, contact the NWTRB: Karyn Severson, External 
Affairs; 2300 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 1300; Arlington, VA 22201-
3367; (tel.) 703-235-4473; (fax) 703-235-4495.

    Dated: February 5, 2003.
William D. Barnard,
Executive Director, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board.
[FR Doc. 04-3298 Filed 2-13-04; 8:45 am]
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