[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 235 (Friday, December 5, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74162-74163]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28807]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan for the West Valley 
Demonstration Project, West Valley, NY

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability 
of the proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan for the West Valley 
Demonstration Project (WVDP) at the Western New York Nuclear Service 
Center in West Valley, New York (WNYNSC). The proposed Phase 1 
Decommissioning Plan is consistent with DOE's preferred alternative in 
the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Decommissioning and/or Long-Term Stewardship at the West Valley 
Demonstration Project and Western New York Nuclear Service

[[Page 74163]]

Center (Draft EIS, DOE/EIS-02260). DOE intends, at a future date, to 
issue a Record of Decision pursuant to the Final EIS. The proposed 
Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan is being reviewed by the U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC). The Department will consider NRC comments 
prior to the initiation of decontamination and decommissioning 
operations, and should DOE during the course of the National 
Environmental Policy Act process or as a result of comments from the 
NRC ultimately decide upon an approach that differs from the current 
preferred alternative in the Draft Decommissioning EIS, or adopt 
changes that affect the proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan, then DOE 
will revise the Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan as necessary to reflect 
the changes.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan for the 
West Valley Demonstration Project are available for public inspection 
at the following locations:

U.S. Department of Energy, FOIA Reading Room, Room 1E-190, Forrestal 
Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0001;
Hulbert Library, DOE-WVDP Public Reading Room, 18 Chapel St., 
Springville, NY 14141. 716-592-7742; and
Ashford Office Complex Public Reading Room, 9030 Route 219, West 
Valley, NY 14171-0191. (716) 942-4679.

    The proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan is also available at:

The U.S. Department of Energy West Valley Demonstration Project Web 
site, at http://www.wv.doe.gov; and
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Electronic Reading Room Web 
site, at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Moira N. Maloney, Decommissioning Plan Project Manager, West Valley 
Demonstration Project, U.S. Department of Energy, 10282 Rock Springs 
Road, West Valley, NY 14171-0191;
Mr. Bryan C. Bower, Director, West Valley Demonstration Project, U.S. 
Department of Energy, 10282 Rock Springs Road, West Valley, NY 14171-
0191; and
Mr. Desi Crouther, Director, Office of Small Sites Projects, Office of 
Environmental Management, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The West Valley Demonstration Project Act 
(the Act), Public Law 96-368 of October 1, 1980, directed the 
Department of Energy to carry out a high-level radioactive waste 
management demonstration project at the WNYNSC. The purpose of the 
project was to demonstrate the solidification of high-level radioactive 
waste for disposal in a Federal repository. The Act also requires the 
Department to decontaminate and decommission the underground high-level 
waste storage tanks and other facilities where the solidified high-
level radioactive waste was stored, the facilities used in the 
solidification of the waste, and any material and hardware used in 
connection with the project, in accordance with such requirements as 
the NRC may prescribe.
    In accordance with the Act, DOE entered into an agreement with the 
NRC to establish arrangements for review and consultation by the NRC 
for the Project. The procedures for NRC review and consultation were 
established in the September 23, 1981 Memorandum of Understanding and 
section 2(c)(1) of the Act between DOE and NRC. Accordingly, DOE is to 
submit to NRC, for its review and comment, a Project Decommissioning 
Plan for the facilities that were used in solidifying the waste, which 
includes a description of engineering and operating activities to be 
performed. The plan is to be reviewed by the NRC and comments provided 
to DOE. DOE is to review and consider the comments provided prior to 
the initiation of decontamination and decommissioning operations.
    The decommissioning activities described in the proposed Phase 1 
Decommissioning Plan for the West Valley Demonstration Project are 
consistent with the Phased Decision-making Alternative, the preferred 
alternative described in the Revised Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for Decommissioning and/or Long-Term Stewardship at the West 
Valley Demonstration Project and Western New York Nuclear Service 
Center. Under the Phased Decision-making Alternative, the 
decommissioning of the Project and WNYNSC would be completed in two 
phases. Phase 1 decommissioning activities within the Project premises, 
which are described in the proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan, are 
near-term removal actions that include removal of the Main Plant 
Process Building, Vitrification Facility, source area of the North 
Plateau Groundwater Plume, wastewater treatment facility lagoons, and 
certain ancillary buildings, foundations, slabs, and pads on the WVDP 
premises. The Phase 2 decisions on the decommissioning of the remainder 
of the Project and WNYNSC, or its long-term management, would be made 
in the future and is not part of the proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning 
Plan.
    DOE will issue a Record of Decision pursuant to section III.B.1 of 
the final EIS no sooner than 30 days after the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency has published its Notice of Availability in the 
Federal Register. DOE will revise the proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning 
Plan to be consistent with the Record of Decision as necessary.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on December 1, 2008.
Cynthia Anderson,
Deputy Chief Operations Officer.
 [FR Doc. E8-28807 Filed 12-4-08; 8:45 am]
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