[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 46 (Friday, March 9, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10718-10719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4234]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Defense Logistics Agency


Removal of Low-Activity Contamination

AGENCY: Defense National Stockpile Center (DNSC), Defense Logistics 
Agency.

ACTION: Notice of availability of environmental assessment and a draft 
finding of no significant impact for the removal of low-activity 
contamination.

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SUMMARY: The Defense Logistics Agency announces the availability of the 
Environmental Assessment (EA) and draft Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI) for the removal of low-activity contamination resulting 
from storage of radioactive source material in the National Defense 
Stockpile of strategic and critical materials.
    Stockpiles of commodities containing source material have been 
removed from DNSC depots at Curtis Bay, MD and Hammond, IN. At the 
Curtis Bay Depot, the commodities containing source material 
(columbium/tantalum, thorium nitrate, tungsten ore and concentrates, 
thorium hydroxide, thorium oxide, monazite sand, uranium pitchblende 
ore, and sodium sulfate) were previously stored in 16 of the original 
59 warehouses. Since the middle 1980s, over 19,000 drums of thorium 
nitrate were stored in three warehouses. Previously the thorium nitrate 
stockpile was stored for short periods in six other warehouses on the 
site. At the Hammond Depot, the commodities containing source material 
(columbium/tantalum, thorium nitrate, monazite sands, sodium sulfate, 
and tungsten ore and concentrates) were previously stored in two of the 
three warehouses on the site. Cleanup of any residual contamination 
from storage of the commodities containing source material is one task 
DNSC must complete before its Nuclear Regulatory Commission license can 
be terminated.
    Following evaluation of reasonable alternatives conducted by Oak 
Ridge National Laboratory on behalf of DNSC, DNSC proposes to remove 
residual contamination and transfer the contaminants to a regulated 
disposal site. This disposal will be performed in a manner that will be 
safe, secure, and environmentally sound and minimizes radiation 
exposure and potential for risk to workers, the public, and the 
environment.

DATES: Comments on the draft FONSI received by April 9, 2007 will be 
considered when preparing the final version of the FONSI.

[[Page 10719]]

    The EA and draft FONSI are available for review on the DNSC Web 
site (https://www.dnsc.dla.mil/EAandDraftFONSI.asp). Comments should be 
sent to Mr. Michael Pecullan, 8725 John J. Kingman Road, Suite 3229, 
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6221. Comments may also be faxed to Mr. Pecullan 
at (703) 767-7716.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael Pecullan, Phone (703) 767-
7620 or E-Mail: michael.pecullan @dla.mil.

    Dated: March 6, 2007.
Essie Schloss,
Deputy Administrator, Defense National Stockpile Center.
[FR Doc. E7-4234 Filed 3-8-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3620-01-P