[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 15 (Monday, January 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3902-3903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-1306]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Notice of Public Hearings on the Draft Tank Closure and Waste
Management Environmental Impact Statement for the Hanford Site,
Richland, WA
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Updated notice of public hearings.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces public hearings on
the Draft Tank Closure and Waste Management Environmental Impact
Statement for the Hanford Site, Richland, Washington (DOE/EIS-0391)
(Draft TC&WM EIS or Draft EIS). A notice of public hearings on this
Draft EIS was first published on January 8, 2010 (75 FR 1048); this
notice announces additional public hearings and a date change to a
previously announced hearing. This Draft EIS was prepared in accordance
with the implementing regulations under the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA). A Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS was
published on October 30, 2009 (74 FR 56194), initiating a 140-day
public comment period ending March 19, 2010. The State of Washington,
Department of Ecology (Ecology) is a cooperating agency on this EIS.
DATES: During the public comment period for the Draft TC & WM EIS which
ends March 19, 2010, DOE invites the public to submit written comments
by any of the means listed under ADDRESSES below. In addition, oral as
well as written comments may be provided at the public hearings to be
held as listed under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted by regular mail, fax, or
e-mail as follows.
Written comments may be sent to: Mary Beth Burandt, Office of River
Protection, Document Manager, P.O. Box 1178, Richland, Washington
99352, Attention: TC & WM EIS.
Written comments or requests for information can be submitted at
[email protected], or by faxing to 888-785-2865. The Draft EIS is
available on DOE's NEPA Web site at http://www.gc.energy.gov/nepa and
the Hanford Web site at http://www.hanford.gov.
Copies of this Draft EIS are available for review at:
Hanford Site Public Reading Room, 2770 University Drive, CIC. Room
101L, Richland, WA 99354, 509-372-7443; and the
U.S. Department of Energy, FOIA Reading Room, 1G-033, Forrestal
Bldg, 1000 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20585, 202-586-5955.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the Hanford
Site or this Draft EIS, contact Ms. Burandt at the above address. The
following Web sites may also be accessed for additional information on
the Hanford Site: http://www.hanford.gov/orp/ (Click on Public
Involvement) or http://www.hanford.gov.
General information on DOE's NEPA process is on the Department's
NEPA Web site at http://www.gc.energy.gov/nepa or contact: Carol
Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC-54), U.S.
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20585, e-mail [email protected], telephone 202-586-4600; or leave a
message at 800-472-2756.
For general questions and information about the Washington State
Department of Ecology, contact: Annette Carlson, Nuclear Waste Program,
3100 Port of Benton Blvd., Richland, WA 99352 , telephone 509-372-7897,
e-mail [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Hanford Site is located in southeastern Washington State along
the Columbia River, and is approximately 586 square miles in size.
Hanford's mission included defense-related nuclear research,
development, and weapons production activities from the early 1940s to
approximately 1989. During that period, Hanford operated a plutonium
production complex with nine nuclear reactors and associated processing
facilities. These activities created a wide variety of chemical and
radioactive wastes. Hanford's mission now is focused on the cleanup of
those wastes and ultimate closure of Hanford.
In support of Hanford's cleanup mission DOE, with Ecology as a
cooperating agency, prepared the Draft TC & WM EIS in accordance with
the Council on Environmental Quality's National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) Implementing Regulations at 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508 and the
DOE NEPA Implementing Procedures at 10 CFR Part 1021. The Environmental
Protection Agency issued a Notice of Availability of this Draft TC & WM
EIS on October 30, 2009 (74 FR 56194), thereby initiating the public
comment period for the Draft EIS.
II. Public Hearings
During an open house, the first hour of each hearing, participants
may register to speak and meet informally with representatives from DOE
and Ecology. During the formal portion of each hearing, DOE and Ecology
will make short opening presentations on the Draft EIS and describe the
format for the hearing. The remaining time will be available for the
public to comment. The Seattle meeting announced previously (75 FR
1048) for February 11, 2010, has been moved to March 8, 2010. Three
additional meetings have also been scheduled and they are provided as
follows:
La Grande, OR 97850, February 22, 2010, Eastern Oregon University,
Hoke Union Building, 6 to 10 p.m.;
Spokane, WA 99206, February 23, 2010, Red Lion Hotel at the Park,
303 W. North River Drive, Spokane, WA 99206, 509-777-6393, 6 to 10
p.m.;
Eugene, OR 97401, March 1, 2010, Hilton Eugene and Conference
Center, 66 East 6th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97401, 541-342-2000, 6 to 10
p.m.;
Seattle, WA 98109, Rescheduled from previous date of Feb 11, March
8, 2010, Seattle Center, 305 Harrison Street, 206-684-7200, 6 to 10
p.m.
DOE will consider and respond to all oral and written comments
received at the public hearings or written comments postmarked by March
19, 2010, in preparing the Final EIS. Late comments will be considered
to the extent practicable.
III. Next Steps
DOE intends to issue the Final Tank Closure and Waste Management
EIS by March 2011. DOE will issue a Record of Decision no sooner than
30 days after
[[Page 3903]]
the Environmental Protection Agency publishes a Notice of Availability
of the Final EIS in the Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, January 19, 2010.
William M. Levitan,
Director, Office of Environmental Compliance, Office of Environmental
Management.
[FR Doc. 2010-1306 Filed 1-22-10; 8:45 am]
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